


Shadow Games

by PhenomenalBrat



Series: Shadow hand Saga [1]
Category: Black Lightning (TV), Supergirl (TV 2015), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Blood, Crying, F/F, F/M, Gun Violence, Kidnapping, Laboratories, Murder, Poisoning, Sex, Stabbing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2020-09-13
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:53:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 52,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25111921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhenomenalBrat/pseuds/PhenomenalBrat
Summary: Kellys life hangs in the balance after being stabbed and poisoned. Meanwhile the drama from 'This was an interesting way to spend a saturday' still hangs over the teams head as they attempt to help Blacklightning locate missing kids and figure out exactly what the hell Sedgwell has been up to.Iris resolve and patience is tested when the transdemensional technology stolen during the conference, threatens her husband's life. This is gonna be a messy road.A twist a turn an we jump through time and PoV to find an answer.
Relationships: Alex Danvers/Kelly Olsen, Barry Allen/Iris West, Grace Choi/Anissa Pierce, Jefferson Pierce/Lynn Stewart, Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor, Querl Dox/Nia Nal
Series: Shadow hand Saga [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1818811
Kudos: 14





	1. prelude

**SHADOW GAMES-** Prelude 

( Thundergrace, Supercorp, Dansen, Westallen Brainia)

_ Authors' note: You sort of need to have read all of ' _ **_That was an interesting way to spend a Saturday '_ ** _ in order to know what's going on in this story. _

_ Reading, ' _ **_My sisters' Keeper'_ ** _ as well as ' _ **_Who the Hell are all these people in our house?'_ ** _ For the Anissa and Jennifer POV may be useful as well, but it isn't strictly necessary and you also can't read them without purchasing BLDCzine anyways tbh. _

_ By: PhenomenalBrat  _

  
  


Kelly gasped and struggled for breath, clawing at the hand around her throat, choking her, as she attempted using her weight to roll them and escape her pinned position on the floor. ' _ Why was this creepy merge guy everywhere and why wasn't he in fucking jail?'  _ She wondered, but had no time to process as he head butted her, disorienting her and pulled his knife. He sliced through her blouse.

"I almost wish I could watch myself penetrate you," he joked perversely as he pressed the knife through impaling her, locking his lips like this was a game.

"KELLY" Iris screamed, drawing the mans' attention as he turned, only to be met with a bat swinging at his face.

THWACK!

"You again?!?" Iris yelled as she lifted the bat again and brought it down on the mans' knee multiple times.

"Iris." Kelly called to her, seeking assistance. 

Taking in the appearance of Kelly state with ripped blouse and bleeding, Iris clearly did mental calculations and unfortunately for the man, she came to the worst conclusion as she brought the bat down violently on his privates as hard as she could. He screamed like he was dying.

"Kelly!" Alex' voice drew closer as she entered the room, gun already drawn before, seeing Kelly and rushing to her side.

Iris, seeing that Kelly was okay with Alex, turned and hit the man in his junk once more for good measure. She was running over with anger, and needed to channel it out after everything that had happened.

"What happened?" Alex asked as she staunchest the stab wound on Kelly as best she could With one hand, while the other still held her gun leveled at the creep.

"Her was cutting off Kellys' clothes and strangling her when I got in here" Iris explained, ready with the bat, to bust the mans' teeth out if he so much as twitched wrong. Alex seemed to be fighting her own instinct to bash the mans' skull in or blow his brains out. Her better judgment won out after a moment.

"Where are the others?" Iris asked

Kelly was just watching this conversation go bad and forth. Her head was killing her and she was in too much pain at the moment to do much beside, try not to die.

"Ciscos' helping Anissa clear the safehouse. Lenas with Lynn, creating a reversing agent for the temporary meta powers. Long story."

"The kids? Barry?"

"It's...complicated."

Iris sighed, before seeming to refocus. "We need to get Kelly somewhere safe."

"I know that!" Alex yelled, though she was clearly angry at the attacker and the situation, not at Iris. "Sorry."

"It's fine. I know how- With everything happening with Barry, I'm sure I haven't been my most congenial. 

"Ugghj" Kelly groaned in pain as she breathed too hard.

The man laughed. " I decided to add a little surprise for you. My knife has many tricks." He declared while still laying on his side, leg injured from Iris bat.

Iris reached into her pocket tapping the phone.

🎶🎵🎶🎶

"Lena, look we need some back up now. Kelly is hurt and creepy, merge, pervert guy is here." Iris blurted out into the phone as soon as the signal went through, not bothering with meaningless, time wasting pleasantries.

"Lena and Dr Pierce are still working on the reversing agent and combining their two formulas is taking time. I'm coordinating everything " Brainy Answered.

"Brainy we need-"

"I'm sending Anissa to you. She's closest." He explained. " Tell Kelly to hang on.

"That's gonna be easier said than done" Alex said, with worry lacing her voice as Kellys' eyes slipped closed.

The last thing Kelly heard as she faded out, was Alex calling her name as Iris saying something to the effect of, " If she dies…"

To be continued in chapter 1- A well respected man about town

  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. A well respected man about town

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A walk down menory lane with the same Jackass assassin that tried to kill Iris and Kill in " That was an interesting way to spend a saturday." I know you must be wondering how this guy got close enough to stab Kelly. 
> 
> Fair warning this is a character that you will both love and despise completely probably. Enjoy the messiness of villain POV.

**1 SHADOW GAMES-** A well respected man about town

( Supercorp, Dansen, Thundergrace. Westallen)

_ Authors' note: This is all from Vincent's POV. Vincent is of course, the creepy merge guy, who keeps popping up to try to kill Kelly and Iris. Hopefully this will explain some of how he got here and his connection and work for Sedgwell.  _

_ Authors' note: Vincent is kind of a pervert, but in a really detached way. So when you see him do things like ponder about Kelly/Alex sex or forcefully Kiss Iris, he is being more power obsessed and ordering women like property rather than neccesarily being rapey. He is quite messy for a lot of other reasons, so I don't want you all to get caught up on those things. _

_ TW: Vincent is gonna sorta assualt Iris in this chapter, but it's nothing too excessive. Also TW, for blood and mentions of death. _

**_BY: PhenomenalBrat_ **

  
  


"If she dies, you die." Miss West practically spat the words at me as I lay on the ground. Perhaps she was still angered from our last kiss. She had interrupted the moment by planting her knee in my crotch. She often seemed to forget her position and I had simply moved to remind her, if nothing else. 

I smiled back on what was truthfully a very charming smile. There was nothing to fear. She lacked the follow through to actually harm me. In any event, I was only doing my job. Okay that was not true. Perhaps I took some liberties here, after my employer called and told me to stand down on ending Miss West. In my defense, Miss Olsen had caused all this. I asked her to stop resisting. After I joined her in the room and introduced my chain to her neck as she sat at the desk, she had struggled, and twisted her way out, and punched me in the face again. The unpleasantness, the insolence, and the violence…She turned to run but the other me was already right behind her again. I do love to watch myself work at times, since receiving my gift. I had to quickly pull myself together though as we wrestled her to the floor.

"Stop resisting. " I told her in what could only be called utter politeness. No sense in being rude.

THWACK!

The side of the butt of a gun colliding with my face sent a new mix of pain, sparking across my skin. I was sure I would have a concusion if they continued. Had I had access to my other selves at the moment I would get me out of there.

"What the hell was on the knife!? " the red haired one screamed at me rudely as Miss Olsen state dropped.

I believe her name was Miss Danvers, I recalled as I involuntarily groaned. She was romantically involved with Miss Olsen, as I recalled. For a moment, my mind entertained the thought of what that might be like to watch. Interesting. 

She struck me needlessly twice more, while her other hand continued to staunch the wound from my knife on Miss Olsen chest.

"My knife has many secrets" I told them once again, smiling and quite frankly I did not see the problem. If Miss Olsen died, then I'm sure a replacement could be found. I told them as much. I then found myself dealing with the business end of Miss Danvers gun as she turned it and shoved it violently into my mouth. Unlike Miss Olsen or Miss West, I could not be sure she would not shoot. She seemed to almost hover between tears or raged in an unreadable limbo.

"Shut up. " Her voice was like frostbite ripping at my very skin. 

Miss West, watched almost impassively. Perhaps my role in her husbands' current absence, held her tongue as she stood by doing nothing to halt the brutality I faced for simply telling the truth. 

"Aghhhhhgggh" The sound of Miss Olsen voice groaning in pain as she regain conscious distracted Miss Danvers enough that she seemed to relent slightly. I truly did not deserve all this hassle for simply doing my job.

. . . .

( **6 and a half years ago, so roughly around season one of the flash** )

" _ What do you say Vin?" My old friend from school, Larmont ( Larry the slug) Sedgwell sat across from me at the table, hand extended towards me, preparing to close the deal of a lifetime for me. _

_ The past few months ever since that particule excellerator had exploded in Central City had destroyed my real-estate business. The constant threat of Meta attacks had crumbled property values. Noone wanted to move to a city under constant attacks from these freaks rudely terrorizing the streets. Honest hard working people had been hurt and no one cared. I had enough money saved through greasing some dealing and adding a little fine print here and there in the past. It wasn't enough though. I prided myself on ambition and good manners. _

_ "We have a deal." I agreed, shaking Larrys' hand, and feeling a weight lift off my shoulders. I had just sold the last 15 properties I had left. 12 were grouped together and 3, scattered around the city. The icing on the cake was the new job offer as head of Larrys' security team. My army training years, to pay for college, would at least pay me back in some way now. 4 years of my life wasted but the financial rewards were going to be undeniable now. _

_ " Good to have you aboard Vin." _

_ For that moment, it really felt like old times too. _

_ . . . . _

_ " _ You're not even worth wasting a bullet." Miss Danvers finally told me after a moment or two, yanking the gun from my month. I was not a hundred percent sure she would not lose her mind again though. Women were finicky in that way.

"Look-" Miss West spoke up. She seemed to be searching for what to call me,"

"Sir. You may call me sir." I supplied politely as an answer for her. 

Her hand seemed to twitch on the bat as she closed her eyes for a moment and seemed to sigh, like she was calculating something in her head for a moment before coming to a decision. Whatever she was gonna say, was cut off as Miss Peirce came rushing through the door. She carried a side bag with her. She was dressed in that ridiculous flamboyant getup she wore when she went out as "Thunder."

Admittedly, the look did nice things for her body. Her hair was pulled back and tamed, her breast seemed higher and well balanced. If the overall get up wasn't so nonsensical, I would give her points. Mind you, she was far too unruly and difficult for me to find her sexually enjoyable. I prefer not to have to battle a woman for pleasures of the flesh. It was undignified under most circumstances. 

"Okay. Brainy called me. We need to get out of here." Miss Pierce explained this all as if it was not obvious to everyone. Why people felt the need to do this type of stuff, I would never know. She turned to Miss Olsen, taking in her current state and seemed to recognize the telltale signs of the poison black vein of near agonizing venom that now ran through Miss Olsens' body.

"Painkiller?" She almost whispered, now doubt wondering how we had gotten that particular poison.

"What?" Miss Danvers questions.

"Nothing. Look, we need to get to the tunnels. We can get Kelly somewhere safe. I think I know what poison he used."

Miss Olsen and Miss Danvers both starred at her expectantly. "It's a long story" was all she led with. Kneeling down by Miss Olsen she pulled out some wraps and ointment to dab on Miss Olsen Knife wound, before covering it with the wrap. I did hate to see my work tampered with.

"It's gonna be okay Kelly." She whispered, like she was praying for the nearly dead.

As she finished, Miss Danvers lifted Miss Olsen in her arms, I suppose as carefully as one could under the circumstances. 

"I'll get this guy." Miss Pierce said as she turned, roughly grabbing my arm and hoisting me over her shoulder like a wild animal. 

"Release me." I told her in a calm voice. "You are all behaving like a pack of wild animals. " I explained. 

"You know what-" I heard Miss West voice say, before the butt of the bat was smacked into my face.

CRACK! I was sure my nose was broken. As I lost conscious, I wonder if my health plan would get me a new one.

. . . .

**(1 year after selling land to Sedgwell)**

_ "Some people always want something for nothing." Larry observed as he sat across from me in his office. _

_ His new desk was wider and definitely sturdier than the last one. He pushed his unfinished steak to the side, frowning. _

_ " It's hard to find good quality these days," I observed as I tucked into my own steak. Larry liked his medium; not medium well,just medium. I enjoy it blu rare. I like a bit of fight from my food. _

_ "So how's the security rework coming along?" _

_ I sat my fork and knife down considering what to cover first. I prided myself on good work after all. _

_ "My predecessor left quite a few holes in your safety plan." I told him. No use beating around the bush.  _

_ "I trust you've cleared it all up." _

_ "And all the loose ends too." I informed him laughing at my own joke. The resounding crack of my predecessors' neck when I had snapped it, still rang a little in my ears. Some secrets simply had to go to the grave though. _

_ KNOCK KNOCK _

_ "Mr Sedgwell, your 1 o 'clock appointment is here," the assistant called into the room. She was young, maybe 20. I could not ,for the life of me, seem to recall her first name; Miss Peterson. What was her first name?  _

_ Larry looked at me, as if he was weighing a decision in his head. I stood preparing to exit, recognizing an important deal going down when I saw one. _

_ "Send him in." Larry told the girl, before turning to me and in one word, instructing me to stay. _

_ A tall dark skinned older man stepped into the office. His face looking bored though he seemed to be shifting his eyes around to observe everything. His dark blue suit and black shoes screamed boring business but also "under the table deal" at the same time. A shorter young woman entered quietly behind him. From the way she carried herself I could tell she was trained and probably had at least one weapon ready to go, on her.  _

_ "Percy Odell, I'd like you to meet my head of security, Vincent. He introduced us, deliberately not using my last name. _

_ Mr Odell gestured to the woman indicating she was his security. _

_ "Mr Sedgwell, we need to discuss your investment in certain pharmaceutical endeavors, you've been conversing about with my associate. We may be moving forward soon with revitalizing dormat assets soon." He explained as he looked around the room.  _

_ "How soon?" _

_ "Preliminary tests will be getting carried out in a controlled environment starting in the next few months to a year.  _

_ The woman seemed almost uninterested in whatever it was that they were talking about.  _

_ "There may be an opportunity coming for you to purchase more stock and gain more shares." _

_ Larry nodded, clearly liking what he was hearing. " The testing facility?" _

_ "Freeland. " Mr Odell answered, "no where of consequence.  _

_ . . . . _

The sting of cold water hitting my face awoke me. I was on the floor of what I could only describe as a cheap basement lair. It was a rather large and spacious room though. There were computers and weaponry and even seemed to be an adjacent room. My hands were bound on cuffs and chains now. It was overkill really considering Miss West unruly behaviour earlier. I could see Miss Pierce, flitting around in the back, searching for something. Now doubt she hoped to save miss Olsen. Miss Danvers was nowhere to be seen but the sound of her voice further away, whispering nonsense like, "hang on." and " Please Kelly." told me where both she and Miss Olsen were located. I mentally mapped out the room to file in my head for later. Near the computers, another red headed woman sat at a chair searching for something, though it was hard to determine what she sought on the computers. I watched her trying to determine her identity for a moment before the clanking and tapping of the bat Miss West had, drew my attention to her.

"I will need medical attention before you kill me." I told her. I even tried to smile though my face was likely less dashing than usual. She remained silent, watching me like a predictor stalking prey. " One would think your husband would have you tamed by now, Miss west," I told her, watching her flich as if struck, no doubt thinking of Mister Allens' absence at the moment. Perhaps that was slightly petty of me.

"Got it!" Miss Pierce yelled,holding up a vile of something and moving in the direction Miss Danvers and Miss Olsen clearly were, out of my eye sight.

"It's already too late." I stated. " It's pointless. Perhaps Miss Danvers can take me as a sex slave as a trade for the loss of Miss Olsen." I told a small joke, attempting to lighten the mood.

Like a wild animal, Miss West stepped forward quickly, forgoing the back, to swing her foot and kick me squarely between the legs three times in a row before landing a solid kick to my torso, while I lay bound, and helpless. She yelled something at me, but I could not quite make out what she was saying. Suddenly the Red head was over by us, pulling Miss West away from me.

"Iris. Iris stop! Don't do this." She told her, moving Miss West away from me. 

Now that she was closer, I recognized her from the files; Miss Snow, the ice princess. How very interesting.

"She has become unhinged." I informed Miss snow. She had not been on the list I was provided, for my trip to freeland so her presence surprised me, though it was mainly of no consequence. I was trained to handle the unexpected. 

. . . .

( **2 years after Vincent met Odell the first time. You can assume they've interacted more since then. This would roughly be during season 2 of Blacklightning timeline wise. Like we are talking about late season 2)**

_ "There's been a situation. " Larry was explaining as I drove him from the airport. _

_ "Situation?" _

_ "I've been called." _

_ He was rather vague which told me we were talking about some backroom things now. The stuff he had going on with this Odell man. That explained why we were in Freeland. This town was not usually Larrys' style. It felt...unrefined. _

_ Following the GPS, to an old house in the backwoods of what I could only describe as a piss poor gang neighborhood, I pulled into a small garage and let it close behind me.  _

_ The bodyguard woman Odell always had with him every time we met, opened the door between the garage and the house as we exited the car. Then she led us inside.  _

_ "Mr. Sedgwell…" _

_ "What the hell is going on? I thought your people had this under control." _

_ "Mr Sedgwell, " Odell spoke again, " You seem to have forgotten where your piece is on the board. Keep in mind that we are at different tables still. " _

_ This dude loved to talk in some kinda code. Larry seemed to get his meaning though and deflated, pulling back and becoming almost deferential.  _

_ "We are going to need to re-locate an...asset soon." _

_ "Relocate?" _

_ "Yes and harvest some resources for future use and enhacements," He told Larry before handing him a newspaper clipping with an obituary for some kid.  _

_ "Khalil Payne." Larry read the name out. "So is this the asset we need re-located?" _

_ "Yes. And he will need to be brought straight to me. I don't want this traced back to either of us." Odells voice sounded bored but matter of fact and I wondered if he just naturally sounded like that all the time.  _

_ "Consider it done. " _

_ "When you've done it then I will consider it done." Odell stated flatly. _

_ Larry nodded, looking at me and making it clear what he expected me to do. He turned heading back towards the garage door.  _

_ "Mr Sedgwell. " We both stopped and waited. "There's also the issue of acquiring a power source for another project. Something that may advance your seat at the table even more." _

_ Larry smiled a little and nodded" _

_ I wasn't one hundred percent sure what was going on but I knew how to do my job. _

_ . . . . _

Miss West foray into madness had given me a moment alone to collect some thought before Miss Peirce appeared. She dragged me none too gently across the room to toss me over by the computers in a heap basically. As I waited a message popped up and some kinda video opened revealing the other Luthor child. Ah yes Lex' sister. Larry had had many difficulties with her recently as she got in his way. 

"Hello!" She spoke up and Miss West and Miss Snow rushed over to the computer.

Apparently Miss Danvers was not up to leaving Miss Olsens 'side.

"Lena? What's-" Miss Snow started to speak.

" Hang on." Miss Luthor told her before focusing on Iris. " Kara and Jeff are trying something right now. They should be able to get the kids and Barry out. Where hoping they can overload the trans-demensional box from both ends."

Miss West seemed to sigh in relief at that news. "We've still not finished the reversing agent combination though and until we do…" she trailed off. " Where's Alex? Brainy said Kelly had been hurt. What's going on on your end?"

"Kelly got poisoned."

"What?"

"Thunder said something about Painkiller-

"What? Painkiller? That's impossible. " Doctor Stewarts' voice cut into the call from Miss Luthors' end. It seemed she was somewhere behind her, still working and listening in.

"It's handled." Young Miss Pierce declared as she walked over. " The poison is at least. The stab wound though…"

"We need to get her to a hospital ASAP "

"We can't move her while her body is processing the antidote. Could have adverse effects. Plus it's gonna cause a lot of questions if we just roll up to the wellness center like this." Miss Pierce told them.

"Sedgwells people are probably still there too." Miss West admitted.

"Checkmate it seems." I breathed out, chuckling slightly though I was in considerable pain.

Miss West looked over at me like she was contemplating hitting me again but then she seemed to deflate and think better of it. Things should not be as hard as other people made them for me. My dedication to my work was unmatched after all.

. . . .

**(9 months ago)**

_ I laid strapped to a table, strictly for my own protection of course. A pale white woman with brown eyes and a detached look stood over me holding a needle in her hand. _

_ "We think we've been able to replicate the formula Dr. Stewart created." Larry told me, from where he stood on the other side of the room. "With the data my good friend was able to collect, we should get some interesting results. _

_ "Uhmm…" I answered non commentily.  _

_ "Begin." Larry said and the woman injected me with whatever was in that needle. _

_ That was a head trip. Everything was spinning. My brain felt like it split for a moment. I was on fire. I was melting but not really and then after what felt like a huge chunk of time but was really only 5 minutes, I was back. I looked up at the woman who had injected me and next to her stood...me? Well sorta. He was missing the scar I had and his hair was a bit lighter but otherwise that was my other self.  _

_ "Don't get too attached, this only last about 30 minutes…at least for now." _

_ The doctor began unstrapping me and Larry pulled out his cell phone and turned around. _

_ "Tell Mr Luthor, the sample he provided worked with the formula. We can move into phase two. _

_ The person on the phone said something to which Larry replied "I see. How soon?" _

_ Whatever the person on the other end said was what he wanted to hear? " Let's go build an army then." He replied. _

_ In that moment, I reliezed I was going to be a part of something amazing. _

_ . . . . _

Miss Danvers gushing and cooing and whimpering over Miss Olsen was beginning to irritate me. Enough already. She's dying. Let her die. It's simple. I wonder how long it would be until they handed me over to whatever passed as police " authority " in this town. 

As Larry and I had been setting up this "Wellness center" project I had encountered quite a few people playing as cops. All of them felt either overzealous and undertrained or irrelevant. They would be easy to puppet. Money did most of the talking in places such as this.

I imagined most of the authoritys' focus would still be on unraveling the unfortunate death of Mr Jonson. I had liked him, truth be told, but his wavering had become a liability and a loose end. Pity, we would soon need another Psychiatrist for the manipulation of the masses, to replace him. I internally chuckled though recalling Miss Olsens reaction a few days ago when she discovered his body. Miss West was suspicious of him and Ms. Olsens' faith had made an interesting show these past weeks, before my bullet ended the story.

  
  


. . . .

_ I watched from the window somewhat amused as Miss West and Miss Olsen exited the car and moved quickly through the parking lot. They would be here soon. I arranged Mr Jonsons' body carefully back into his chair and slid the gun back into my bag. I preferred my knife, a gift from my military days, but for expediency sake, this would do. I stepped out of the room, closing the door behind me. I slipped across the empty hall into another room and waited. I did enjoy watching my work. _

_ "Kelly this could be a trap." Ms West spoke as she and Miss Olsen headed down the hall. She seemed agitated as if expecting a threat. _

_ " Iris, " the frustration in Miss Olsens' voice was tangible, " I know Hani okay. Whatever is going on, he's in just as much danger as any of us." _

_ "You said yourself, that, you haven't seen this guy in years." _

_ There was a pause as they reach the door to Mr. Jonsons' office. _

_ "I just need you to trust me." _

_ "I do trust you. We're friends aren't we? I need you to trust me back. My gut is telling me something is off." _

_ There was another pause before, " You don't have to do this with me If you…" _

_ " I'm not saying that." Miss West seemed to be trying to smooth things over, " we just need to be cautious." _

_ Then Miss Olsen opened the door. I couldn't see her face from my hiding spot across the hall but I imagine it was a look of horror as realization hit her. _

_ "Hani!" She screamed, her voice saturated with devastation.  _

_ I tipped out of the room quietly as they stepped further inside the other room to admire my work. I was gone in minutes, making my way out a secret back exit and into the night air. I hadn't even needed to call on my other selves. _

_ . . . . _

The sound of someone's shoes clanking down the stairs into this basement Layer pulled everyone's attention. Oh yes. The littler Miss Pierce. She seemed to have forgone her own little suit and wore a pair of blue jeans, a t-shirt and a leather jacket.

"Is it not pass your bedtime?" I joked.

Her hand glowed a deadly bright electric orange and she turned towards me.

" You're on thin ice, old man. Don't get slapped." She told me before pulling back and running over to where Miss Olsen and Ms Danvers were in that side room area. 

"We gotta go now."

"Dad and Supergirl got that Flash dude out of the trans-demensional whatever but we gotta move." 

"Wait Barry's back?" Mr West cut in.

"Yeah but he's not doing too good, opening from both sides took a lot out of him.

"Pity" I commented. " Well if he should die, I can offer you the name of some services I hear enjoy a good fiesty woman." I told Miss West.

" So how do we do this?" Miss snow asked.

"We need to get to a new location. Uncle gambi has been tinkering with some kinda portal watch Lena has and he can pull Kelly there once we get there."

"We can't just leave her here?" Miss Danvers spoke up. 

"Well Gambi will probably need your help setting this all up." Miss West explained. "I'll stay with Kelly."

Miss Danvers seemed to be warring with herself before finally nodding.

Considering Miss West volitile behavior I was weary of this.

"Barry?" Miss snow asked her.

"You guys just be quick okay?

This could potentially be a twist. The meta, Mr Allen and the kids, were supposed to be our battery source. As the others headed out, Miss West looked at me with an unreadable expression. 

"Thinking of our time together?" I asked, trying to bring some levity.

Her eyes took on a malevolent quality at that.

. . . .

**( 8 hours before Kelly was attacked)**

_ "Arghgh…" Miss West screamed as she swung her bat at me. Now doubt watching me send her husband headlong into the trans-demensional box had poured gasoline of her seeming boundless rage. She always seemed so angry every time we met. I pulled my knife, anticipation coursing through me at the thought of using it on her. It carried a fun surprise Larry had given me. _

_ I ducked and dodged her wild swing waiting for an opening but luck was a shrew as my knife was knocked to the floor. Irrelevant. I was getting tired of this. _

_ I slipped under the next swing and grabbed her by the throat, shoving her backwards into the wall. _

_ " Stop struggling." I told her as I picked up my knife and stepped closer. Deciding to entertain my own curiousity, I grabbed her by the throat, picking her up to press her against the wall; admittedly her struggle was enjoyable as I leaned in to kiss her, just to mess with her. Interesting, delicious until pain laced from my cock and over my body. I pulled away to see her knee had hit me forcefully in my sensitivity. Insolence! I backhanded her to the floor, prepared to finish her when my phone rang. _

_ I had to answer. It was Larry. _

_ "There's been a momentary change of plans, he explained. "Stand down if you've secured the primary objective." _

_ "Mr Allen is in hand and secured with the others" I told him. _

_ Miss West was on the floor, still catching her breath and trying to breath and I doubted she was catching all this. _

_ " My...associates don't want a mess so they've ordered a stand down on the west project. _

_ "But…" _

_ "Listen, I know you are disappointed. Find a random replacement to satisfy your blood lust if you need to. The West protocol is a no-go tho" _

_ I was not particularly happy but I figured I had wiggle room to settle an old Score. _

_ I headed out as I heard Miss Danvers approaching. Their conversation reached me as I moved. _

_ "Iris! Omg! _

_ "Barry...Barry…" Miss West weezed out. _

_ " Are you-" Miss Danvers was asking _

_ "No... Barry." _

_ "Where's Kelly and-?" _

_ "She's not with you?" Miss West seemed confused. _

_ "No I couldn't reach her. I thought..." _

_ This was too good to pass up. Miss Olsen was out there alone. Like a lamb to be slaughtered The universe wanted me to have her, I thought as I ran from the building. I had plenty of time too. _

  
  


_ . . . . _

It had been about 20 minutes since the others left and I wasn't altogether certain of what was happening at the moment. 

"I should Kill you." Miss West stated kind of detached and matter of fact. " This is all your fault." 

" My fault. I'm not the one who left your friend alone now am I?"

She flinched at that, pausing and almost deflating. 

"No. You're not. I am…" she admitted, seems to have accepted something.

. . . .

_ To be continued in the next chapter: A friend in need... _

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	3. A friend on need (Back on the day)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A flashback to introduce us to Kellys" oldest childhood friend Hasani.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Due to sizing limits this chapter has to be split into3 or 4 parts. So this is Friend in need part 1

2 Shadow Games- A Friend in need

( Westallen Supercorp, Dansen, Thundergrace)

_ Author notes: You're probably all wondering Why the heck Kelly and Iris were in Freeland and how Kelly met Anissa? And who the hell is Hasani and why is he dead and what's going on with the missing Kids. Those are all good questions. Prepare to have most of them answer. Fair warning a lot of this chapter is just flashbacks from Kelly PoV. _

_ TW: mild and also extensive transphobic behaviour from some characters later in the story, emotional neglect, something that basically amounts to trafficking of minors, involuntary experimentation /torture, angst etc. Also TW for mentions of blood and death in Iris section of Friend in need.  _

_ By: PhenomenalBrat  _

Do not get poisoned. That kinda goes without saying but, whatever the hell that creep had stabbed her with, she's sure was the worst of it. The ache and burn as her body felt basically paralyzed had terrified her. It had been like burning and drowning all at once. 

Her head was Killing her as she lay there basically trapped in limbo. It should not have been this hard. Part of her just wanted to mentally cry. Little black kids had been kidnapped for shady secret crap and Hani, well Technically Hasani cause they weren't kids or in college anymore, was dead. She'd gotten him killed. It shouldn't be this hard to help a friend.

. . . .

_ 10 year old Kelly ran down the pavement of the new sidewalk by the school. James was a few feet ahead, running along. The new backpack Aunty had bought him for his first day of Middle School, was a little bit big but it suited him she supposed. About 5 paces behind her was Hani, little Hasani Jonson from next door. Every since they started staying with the Auntie, he was always around trailing along beside them and in truth he had kinda become like a younger brother, even though he was only a few months younger than Kelly herself.  _

_ "Keke, Jay, wait for me." He yelled speeding up as much as he could to catch them as they reached the end of the sidewalk. _

_ "You two hurry before you're late." James told them, pointing towards the school building directly across the road. As soon as they had crossed he went across the other crosswalk, heading up about 10 more blocks to the back exit of the middle school he was gonna be attending now.  _

_ "I miss Jay."Hani told her as they walked towards the door. _

_ "Me too." Kelly whispered, feeling a distance with her brother that her mind at ten, really couldn't process. _

_ "You at least get to hang out with him at home." _

_ "Well...we get to hang out at school." Kelly changed the subject. _

_ "True, true, we are the dynamic duo." Hani commented, laughing brightly. _

_ As they made it up the stairs and entered the building Hani ran down the hall. _

_ Hani!" She yelled. _

_ "Better hurry Keke. You're not being a very good sidekick." _

_ She headed after him, hurry so they wouldn't miss the bell. " You wish I was your sidekick. Your mine. " _

_ . . . . _

Kelly was sore but alive at least. Her body was feeling less like it was drowning and burning. She vaguely recalled Anissa giving her something to help with whatever poison had been in her body from the knife wound. She didn't even wanna take the chance of trying to move though.  _ 'Slow and steady Keke. See you soon '  _

Hani voice popped into her mind with that annoying nickname. She wanted to laugh. He was the only one who called her that passed the age of ten. She supposed him falling in and out of her life had been both a blessing and a curse mixed in one.

. . . .

**_(A few months before Kellys senior year)_ **

_ She had seen the moving truck outside the Jonson family house all morning and she didn't need to ask why. The rumors of Mr Jonsons affair that basically everyone knew about had come to a head that summer and Mrs Jonson was leaving, taking "the car, the kid and most of his money" in her words. Going into senior year with James already gone, not that he had really felt full present the past few years, was a blow and now Hani was gonna be gone on top of that.  _

_ She looked over towards the backyard and saw Hani jumping the fence that separated their two properties. Typical Hani. He ran over to the side window on the bottom floor and used an old trick James had shown them, to slide it open since she had left it partly unlatched for him anyways. A few moments later, he was heading up the stairs and down the hall towards her room. _

_ "Hey Keke." _

_ "We are too old for you to still be calling me that." She told him, laughing all the same at the familiarity. _

_ "Age is a state of mind." He told her as he flopped down on the bed. _

_ "So you're leaving soon." _

_ "This is bullshit." He stated flatly, " Pops went out and had some lady on the side so now mom is trippin' and my whole life is gone." _

_ "Hani…" _

_ "I don't have time to make new friends. Mom is taking us all the way across town. We'll basically be in the next city over Keke. " _

_ "Hani, your personality screams, friend maker." _

_ "I already made friends though. They're breaking up the dynamic duo." _

_ "Well I'm sure you'll find some other girl to replace me. Maybe score that elusive girlfriend for senior year." She tries to keep the mood light. _

_ "That's- that's really the least of my worries." He admits. " What if I never see you again? Or- or James." _

_ "We will definitely see each other again. Although I'm sure James has basically gotten tired of both of us." _

_ There was a momentary pause as Hanis' face took on this unreadable expression. _

_ "Did he say that? _

_ "What?" _

_ "Did Jay say he was you know...tired of me." _

_ "Hani, I didn't mean it like that. I just meant he's grown up now and looking at his future, meeting new people, dating, you know." _

_ "Oh right. I-" _

_ "Which is what you should be doing. Like, I can't believe you've never found anyone you're interested in." _

_ " I have. It's just-" Hani trailed off mumbling.  _

_ "Hani?" _

_ "It's...James. I like- I mean...He -he- and I won't get to say goodbye.." Hani sort of fumbles out this information.  _

_ Kelly paused. Truth be told she was not completely surprised but she needed a moment to absord this. She had been teetering on her own questions as she found herself bored of what should have been attractive guys her own age and simply watching pretty girls at pep rallies and soccer matches. _

_ "Oh…" _

_ "Keke…" _

_ She pulled him into a hug. This is good. _

_ "So then you're …"  _

_ "I'm- I don't know...it's complicated." He explained.  _

_ " I know the feeling." Kelly agree, leaving her own thoughts on her own eyes wondering to the same sex hanging.  _

_ For a moment they just chilled on her bed staring at the ceiling. With some friends it really was that easy. _

_ . . . . _

**_( Kelly first week of college. She did running start so was able to skip ahead quite a bit. She's 18 here)_ **

_ The first day of what was technically her Junior year, even though she was only in her first year here, was a mixed bag. Doing advanced placement classes and running start programs most of Junior and senior year had afforded her college credits, enough to basically make her normal first two years unneeded but the awkward position of being younger than nearly everyone in her first two classes was compounded by being probably one of the only two women who looked like her in the whole class. She was rushing across campus, hoping to rest for an hour before her last class of the day, when she heard something. She hadn't heard in nearly two years.  _

_ "Keke! Hey!" _

_ She turned, recognizing that nickname and voice anywhere.  _

_ "Hani!" She yelled his name, probably distracting other people with the volume as they ran to hug each other. He hugged her tight, lifting her from the ground. _

_ As he put her down, she looked him over. He seemed taller. He had definitely worked out since last she saw him. He wore the old t-shirt she'd given him for his anime obsession, underneath a button up shirt that was half unbuttoned. He seemed all together healthy and more confident.  _

_ "What are you doing here?" _

_ "I go to school here." He told her in a way that could of very well be abbreviated as 'duh given his expression. _

_ "Of course. I mean-" _

_ "Oh. I'm just leaving professor Lehims' class. _

_ "Oh. You're doing Psychology too?" _

_ She wasn't really surprised. Hani had that Psychology vibe if there ever was such a thing.  _

_ "Of course. Gonna be Dr. Hasani Jonson after all. " _

_ "That might flow better if you took your moms' last name." Kelly quipped.  _

_ "Probably. But you know… So how's Jay?" _

_ "He's finishing his last Year over at Metropolis University. Already got a post graduation internship lined up so you know." _

_ "The three of us need to catch up. " _

_ "Lunch when we are all free?" She offers. _

_ "Not tonight though. I gotta catch like a 20 minute struggle nap before Professor Gyphans' class." _

_ "You're in GyPhans' class too?" _

_ She really shouldn't have been surprised. Despite the messiness of his senior year Hani has been a solid A/B student too and assuming he was able to finish his advanced classes like she was, the college credits he earned would once again put them on equal footing school wise. _

_ "Guess this means I'm gonna see you in class. " _

_ "The dynamic duo!" She yelled smiling as she yanked out something from their shared childhood.  _

_ . . . . _

_ ( _ **_A few months after Kelly had completed her 6 year Classes for her masters. She's nearly 24 here and kinda sad and prodigious)_ **

_ At 23 years old, Kelly was certain she had seen way more than her fair share of death. It was like the universe was testing her. Her simple black dress felt like a death shawl as she sat front row staring up at her Aunties' casket. James was about 3 seats over, holding their mother who was crying into his shoulder. Kelly imagined that the past 2 hospital visits in the wake of James New job had not been any easier on their mom than they were on her. Losing Auntie on top of all that felt like the blow that would destroy her honestly.  _

_ There was part of her that so desperately wanted to fall apart and have James hug her but the ever present nagging uncertainty in the back of her brain never quite let her. When she had caught James watching her early, he had seemed like he was waiting for...something, but the moment had passed quickly as they both looked away. She would be taking her turn to comfort her Mom soon. _

_ "You okay Keke?" Hasani ( Hani) asked, his hand resting on her shoulder in a comforting gesture. _

_ Hasani was sitting right next to Kelly on her other side. He was family like that. _

_ "No. Yes. I don't know." _

_ "Keke…?" _

_ As the service finished everyone began to move to offer condolences to the Olsen family. Their Auntie had been a much beloved member so the turnout was nothing short of extensive. She shook hands and accepted condolences from people along with James for about an hour. Hani hung back to keep an eye on Kelly and James mom. Hani was sweet and a little crowd shy like that, which she supposed was a blessing in disguise. _

_ Finally as the crowd cleared out, she shared some quick hugs with James and a good cry with her mother, though childhood memories of how far one could dip in grief kept her from completely going to pieces as she pulled herself together.  _

_ James was slowly leading their mother back to the car and finally Kelly was nearly the last person left. She sat down in a chair exhaling. _

_ "Keke?" Hani called her. _

_ "Hey." _

_ He sat down next to her, looking at her almost expectantly. " Are you okay?" _

_ Kelly paused, trying to decide how honest to be. " Hani...I'm leaving." _

_ "What?" _

_ "I-I can't breathe here. I need to get away. " _

_ He pulled her into a hug. "Where are you-?" _

_ "I enlisted." She confessed. _

_ "I'm leaving in about a week." _

_ "Keke…" _

_ "My dad did it. I need to- I need to be someone else Hani." _

_ "Does Jay know?" _

_ "I'm gonna tell him." _

_ "I don't really agree with the military but...just please be safe. Please. Noone here could take another lose." _

_ "I will. I promise." _

_ . . . . _

_ (  _ **_A few weeks before Kelly breaks up with Jason, the dude she was dating more out of a last try at compulsive heterosexuality more than anything)_ **

_ RING RING _

_ The buzzing of the phone drew Kellys' attention from her reading.  _

_ 'Of course it's Hani' she thought to herself as she answered. _

_ "Hey Keke." _

_ "You know, one day we are gonna get too old for you to call me that. _

_ "Age is a state of mind" Hasani responded as usual. _

_ " So, you just calling to say hi or…" _

_ "I heard through the grapevine that you're seeing someone. Care to comment." _

_ "I was- it's not important. He's-" _

_ "He?"  _

_ The complications of Kellys' trouble with fully accepting her attraction to women had been a spoken and unspoken subject between them many times and Hanis' tone gave all the implications that he was as unsure about this new relationship turn as she was, considering she'd broken things off with April just before leaving for basic in the wake of her aunts death. _

_ "Jason is a nice-" _

_ "Jason? As in the Jason you told me was a blando semi fuck boi, a few months ago?" _

_ "He's- I'm-" _

_ "Are you happy Keke?" _

_ Kelly considered the question. She wouldn't say she was unhappy so much as in stasis, kinda spinning her wheels and going through motions but really how could she answer that. _

_ "How are things with Selik?" She asked, changing the subject to Hasanis' boyfriend.  _

_ "You're changing the subject," He noted. "Selik is amazing. He just finished setting up his last big Advertisement for Zech enterprises so he's riding pretty high. Talking about getting that puppy he's been hinting at wanting for a while now too." _

_ "So is Selik finally gonna make you an honest man?" _

_ He had laughed at that.  _

_ "I- I love him. Its- I have never felt so myself, while dating someone. " Hani admitted, sounded almost shy. _

_ Kelly couldn't help the twinge and jealous ache at what Hasani and Selik had. _

_ "I'm happy for you." _

_ "I want you to be happy for you too." He told her _

_ "Hani...it's complicated." _

_ "Make it uncomplicated. Let yourself be happy." He advised.  _

_ . . . . _

**_( 3 weeks after Kellys Fiance Tala Valhid (Val) dies. Kellys' roughly 27-28 here)_ **

_ Kelly had tried to hold things together. She had felt like she was sleep walking through the day for the last few weeks. As she came to the tail end of her tour, she thought, not for the first time, that they never should have been over here at all. The things she'd seen done, the things she'd been asked or rather ordered to do, ate at her, and without Val, the nightmares she fought were nearly unceasing, only temptress by new nightmares that sprang up playing a never ending horror recording of Val dying. _

_ The plane ride back was both too quiet and too loud at the same time and she wondered if perhaps her grief was a bit too obvious. After a long period of reporting and debriefing, she was finally cleared to go. Her brain was too exhausted for anything extensive though. She wanted to talk to someone. James was...she didn't feel right bothering him and her childhood had left her cautious of laying any burden of grief on her mother. Hani...she pulled out her cellphone, internally debating with herself before shooting him the old SOS text they'd often used in college. Within about 5 minutes her phone was ringing as she headed towards her car. _

_ "Keke?" _

_ "Hani. Hey I- Talas' de- she's gone." She told him, struggling to find the right words. _

_ "Oh..oh my god. How? I- I'm so sorry." _

_ She hadnt meant to go to pieces but she finds herself crying intensely and she's sure he can hear her from his end of the phone.  _

_ "Where are you at now?" _

_ "My car...just got back. I'm- I can't stay on base right now- I needed to-" _

_ "Ke, you shouldn't be driving right now." _

_ He's right. She's not really in a good head space to drive and truth be told a small part of her almost wants to just drive herself right off a cliff and be done; be wherever Val and her dad and her Auntie are. She can't do that to her mother though. There's no doubt in her mind that her mom would never recover from that. _

_ She doesn't really realize she's verbalized this dark thought out loud.  _

_ "I can't- I can't go back to-" She trails off. Technically she still had the keys to Talas' house. It sat unused about a mile from where the base was at. A bus ride and about a 2 minute walk would take her there. She couldn't go there though. She was sure if she stepped one foot inside, then the flood of memories would crush her alive where she stood. _

_ "I'm coming to get you." He told her straight away. _

_ "Hani. I'm- How are you even-? _

_ "I live only 45 minutes from base, maybe an hour tops, assuming you're at the one you were at last time. _

_ Hani, I-" _

_ "Please Keke. I'm worried about you." _

_ "Is this your way of giving me a therapy session?" She joked lightly.  _

_ He paused. " Are you asking for help Ke? I mean, I can't be your therapist and we both know why," he told her alluding to a myriad of ethics rules Professor GyPhan had pain-stakingly drilled into their heads in college, " but I think-" _

_ "Yeah. I- everything just hurts inside Hani." _

_ "I know. " _

_ She could hear the sound of Keys and Selik in the background along with what sounded like a puppy.  _

_ "Isn't Selik-" _

_ "Selik adores you, especially since you found that guy to remodel the kitchen. I'm pretty sure he likes you more than me right now since he and that puppy have been causing mess and tap dancing on daddys' patience…" _

_ There's laughter in the background and she can hear Selik saying her name and asking a question, his accent always charming to her ears. _

_ "You love that dog. " She tells Hani. _

_ "True. But don't tell Selik, he spoils the little guy too much already." _

_ "Maybe I should-" _

_ "Don't drive anywhere okay. I'll be there soon. And then we gotta talk about you talking to someone. Promise. Pinky promise." _

_ " Okay…" _

_ . . . . _

**_( Roughly 6 months after Tala Valhids' death)_ **

_ 'Sometimes you have good days and some days you have days so bad, you can't move, lows so low you can't breathe'  _

_ Kelly recalled LaKeisha, the therapist Hani had found for her, telling her that in one of their first sessions. That had proven to be a constant flexible truth in the past few months. She could only offer thanks to God that she wasn't required to report to PT this morning because she simply could not function. She was really surprised Hasani and Selik hadn't tossed her out with the way she seemed to mellow around being dead weight. It was strange that for all the time she spent helping and counseling other soldiers through their own stress disorder, Ptsd or depression, she found herself so powerless in the face of her own. _

_ It wasn't even like anything explosive had happened. She had been going through a bag looking for some spare keys to a lock box, when a picture she hadn't seen in months fell out. The picture of Val, wearing her jacket...and like lightning or magic or some nightmare ferris wheel, she was back there on that floor, dropping the phone and collapsing, trying to breathe as the news of Val passing and the flash of rage at not being able to be by her side washed over her. It was like ice water, freezing her blood as it played on a loop, paralyzing her, binding her to the bed. _

_ Selik popped in to check on her after a few hours, bringing some special tea he insisted was his mothers' remedy to everything. He had cleared the mess she left on the floor and dimmed the shades for her while she watched. Her brain had been too exhausted to do more than mumbling "Thankyou" _

_ "Keke. Hey. Are you…?" Hasanis' voice finally cut through her spiral enough to bring her back to the awareness of how much time had passed.  _

_ "I've been- uhm…" Kelly tried to explain as she sat up in bed. _

_ Hasani sat down on the end of the bed. "It's fine. You gotta give yourself time." _

_ "I found an old picture and I just. It's that one of Tala wearing my jacket. I just- I don't know.  _

_ " You got...triggered. Feedback of good and bad memories.  _

_ "I know. It was just a lot. " _

_ "That's valid. You're hurting ke. Remember what you told me a few years ago after my dad- uhm passed?" _

_ " Some scars are forever but the wound will heal."  _

_ "I'm gonna hug you okay." He told her before pulling her into the hug she hadn't even realized she needed.  _

_ "I guess this means I missed my session with doctor Johanen huh?" _

_ "Don't make it a habit." He joked, "Remember, treatment-" _

_ "Treatment for your mind is like treatment for your body. You have to see it through." She finished the statement Professor Gyphan had hammered into them in school.  _

_ . . . . _

**_(12 hours before Kelly gets to the hospital in National city, after James is shot. Roughly 2 and a half years after Tala died)_ **

**_"_ ** _ I'm thinking about getting my own place." Kelly said as she sat down on the bar stool next to Selik. _

_ "You tired of us already?" He teased, high accent enchanting as ever. _

_ "Hardly." She gestured to herself, still in some army clothes, pants and a t-shirt having just got back. " I assume you two are getting tired of me." _

_ "It's the45 minute drive isn't it?" _

_ She laughs, " I can assure you it is not. Don't you two want more privacy. " _

_ "It's more fun to seduce Hasani in front of people." Selik tells her, almost sounding serious." _

_ "I- _

_ "What's really going on?" _

_ "I feel like I'm in a really good place. Sessions with Lakeisha have improved amazing over the last few years. I'm just- I'm okay in a way I haven't felt in-" _

_ "Kelly!" She turns around at the urgent sound of Hasanis voice. Hani almost never used her full name. _

_ He enters the room holding a phone and looking frazzled.  _

_ "What the-" _

_ "It's Jay! Keke, the woman on the phone is from the hospital. Jay's been shot!" The anguish is his voice is unmistakable as he utters these words and watches a cold burdening wash over Kelly. _

_ "I have to…" _

_ " I'm already on it. " Hasani tells her. "Grab a duffle bag, call McClellan and let's get you to Jay on the first thing flying out." _

_ . . . . _

Distantly Kelly could hear Iris' voice. She was talking to someone. Everything was kinda heavy but whatever was happening, Kelly could tell Iris was not happy. There was several loud thunking noises, like metal hitting something and a vague cracking noise as she heard yelling.  _ Iris _ . What was going on? Where was Alex? Was Alex even here or had she dreamt that? Would anyone even be here if she hadn't chose to come here. Now she was lying here in pain, Hani was...she couldn't even process. And Iris...Why did she answer that call?

To be continued in -Friend in need ( the choices we make)


	4. A Friend in need ( choices we make)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> picking right up where we left off. Kelly and Iris take a trip to Freeland where Iris investigates missing kids and kelly contemplates a semi reckless choice to help Grace and Anissa.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Friend on need was originally one chapter but had to be split due to length so its all coming back to back to back, flowing right along...

**(Roughly 8 days before Kelly gets stabbed by Vincent)**

_Kelly looked over the documents Lena had given her earlier on the new soothing brain matter waves the scientific development department had been working on. They had had to shelve the project before, when Kelly herself had deemed it unsafe for long term use. Lena had trusted Kellys' assessment there. Now with improvements made it might just need looking over. If everything worked out, she could implement this in the psych division for testing._

_RING!!_

_Her cell-phone vibrated and rang, lighting up to display a number she hadn't seen in a while._

_"Hani?" She answer_

_"That's Doctor Hasani Jonson, I'll have you know."_

_Typical Hani._

_"It's been a while. You don't write, you don't call."_

_"Says the woman who stayed in National city. I had to find out you were seeing someone from an online article from Catco about an L-Corp Gala. I'm hurt."_

_"Hani…"_

_"So…are you good Keke?"_

_"I'm amazing. Alex is...amazing. I feel like me right now, more so than in any relationship I've ever had."_

_"I know the feeling. I'm happy for you Keke."_

_" Thank you.. I'm assuming this isn't just a call to talk about my love life though."_

_"You are correct. I need a favor. "_

_"A favor like you asking to borrow my notes all through junior year of college or like-"_

_"Hey, your handwriting is better than mine. But no. I'm setting up a new practice and helping some kids. Sorta...I'm at a hospital right now and-"_

_"Helping kids is my weak spot, you know that."_

_"I know. That's why I led with that. Can you pop down to Freeland and help me with the evaluations please."_

_Part of Kellys mind slides back to the conference, the attack, Sedgwell and the connection to Freeland but her whole heart is absolutely certain Hani isn't mixed up in anything like that. The timing gives her only a second of pause._

_"What are you doing in Freeland anyway."_

_"New Donor, New grants, a chance to help more people. Trust me, this place needs an affordable psychological office. You know how it is in neighborhoods' like where we grew up._

_"Selik was okay with such a huge move?"_

_"He's...uhm traveling a bit for work, but you know he can live anywhere. So can I count on you?"_

_"Dynamic duo." She answers in reply._

_. . . ._

_Kelly watched Kara walking, pacing the floor of Lenas' lab really as Kara talked on the phone with Iris._

_"Oh. Really? " Kara replied to whatever it was Iris said. " Well why haven't you guys-? Oh that makes sense." Well Kelly is-"_

_"Kara, sweetie, just give Kelly the phone so she can talk to Iris herself. " Lena told her._

_Kara thought about it before handing the phone over to Kelly._

_"Kelly!" Iris greeted sounding excited to talk to her._

_"I got that box of seasonings you mailed from that Caribbean place you told me about."_

_"I swear when the universe stops trying to kill us we are gonna take you there. I promise. So Kara said you're going to Freeland?"_

_"Oh a friend of mine is setting up a new practice and helping the wellness center evaluate some kids."_

_"Sounds...interesting…" Iris commented._

_"Hani isn't caught up in any of this. He's there to help some kids and young adults. What did your friend Jeff tell you?"_

_"Nothing really. We haven't directly contacted him. Kinda need a reason beside Sedgwell. In case anyone is watching."_

_"Well maybe, it's not the right time."_

_" Unless…"_

_"Unless maybe I showed up in Freeland for something legit. I mean your friend did specifically call for your help…"_

_"Iris… I-"_

_"Noting overt or invasive, just a little subtlety and recon."_

_"You have vacation time coming " Lena commented while still typing at her computer. " May as well use it._

_Kelly focused back on the phone call with at least one concern off her mind._

_"Iris…"_

_"Trust me. It's just recon. Better than superheroes randomly showing up. "_

_Kelly considered it for a moment. " No drama, no contact. We keep it simple and help Hani."_

_"Deal."_

_"You can take the business Plane as long as you're technically doing work while you are there." Lena told Kelly._

_"Guess I gotta answer some emails or something. " Kelly joked as she handed Kara her phone back._

_. . . ._

_(Authors' notes:_ **_In the interest of time I'm gonna cut the plane ride and conversation between Iris and Kelly while they drink, so we can hurry to freeland and Iris meeting Hasani, which I know you're all curious about)_ **

_Kelly found herself at a loss for words as they drove along the roads of Freeland. The car she had rented was simple but fancy by everyday standard._

_"Kelly." Iris spoke up, " I'm- I didn't mean-"_

_"No. It's okay. I just- if you knew Hani it would make more sense."_

_Iris nodded quietly._

_"He's at the wellness center today. So may as well stop there. Trust me, one meeting will clear up any doubts." Kelly explained as they drove along, following the GPS. May as well meet Hani first before finding their respective hotels._

_Luckily the parking lot had been mostly empty as Kelly whipped the car in, snagging a spot close to the door._

_A quick mention of the name Dr. Hasani Jonson and a declaration of an appointment along with her own name had the bored but polite looking woman at the front waving her through with Iris in tow. The elevator ride up to the office he'd been given at this facility was probably exactly what was needed cause Iris looked far less concerned and as the exited the elevator and saw Hasani in the hall talking to a woman who apparently work there as well, Iris comment that he was "handsome"_

_"He's practically my little brother." Kelly laughed at the comment. "Also your husband is a superhero."_

_"Well…" Iris trailed off as they got closer and Hasani noticed then._

_"Keke. You made it." He greeted Kelly pulling her into a hug._

_"Hani!"_

_"That's Doctor Jonson." he admonished as he pulled back looking at her._

_"Well then it's Doctor Olsen, if we are going with office designations" she shot back._

_There was a momentary pause before they simply laughed._

_"So who is this?" Hasani asked as he turned to Iris._

_"Just a friend. " Iris commented, reaching out to shake Hasanis' hand._

_"Hasani Jonson, meet Iris. Iris West-Allen, this is Hasani. Kelly introduced them properly._

_After a moment of pleasantries Iris jumped to her questions._

_"So what did you need Kellys' help with exactly?"_

_"Oh well, Keke was always best at evaluation and so I figured…."_

_Iris nodded and Kelly watched the interaction between Iris and Hani trying to determine what was the problem, if anything._

_"That's lucky timing." Iris commented._

_"So are you into Psychology? You hadn't mentioned what you do." Hasani asked Iris._

_" Oh, I must of forgot to mention it."_

_"Iris." Kelly cut in._

_"Let me let you two catch up though. I Should be getting to my hotel room to check in soon."_

_"Iris?"_

_"I'll grab a taxi and meet you later for dinner. She told Kelly squeezing her shoulder. "Be careful. "_

_"Will do." Kelly nodded, thinking back to their conversation on the plane ride over as she watched Iris head out._

_. . . ._

_"Sorry about Iris. She's not normally-" Kelly explained as they walked along the hall a few doors down to Hanis' office._

_"She probably just thinks I'm trying to steal L-corp secrets from you." He joked._

_"Well are you? She asked offhandedly._

_Hasani paused and looked at her, like he really thought she was being serious. "Keke…"_

_"Doctor Jonson." The white woman he had been talking to earlier came walking up, handing him some papers. "Don't forget that meeting with those investors tomorrow. They expect us to be present along with the on-site medical staff." She told him, before walking off._

_"Thats' Doctor Qualar. " he informed her after the woman had left. Hasanis' facial expression seemed none to please by her presence._

_"So this is my on-site office at the Wellness center," he told her as he opened the door._

_Kelly looked around as she stepped inside.It was very minimal; Low clutter and surprisingly spacious. She sat down on one of the foam chairs Hani favored._

_"So where do I even begin?" She asked._

_"Well I thought I could give you a chart. I've already got you cleared to be onsite and we can start evaluation with a completely clean slate." He explained._

_"You probably are gonna wanna check into your hotel first though and grab a nap."_

_Kelly checked her phone, torn between checking on Iris and catching up with Hani. "I-How about you show me around this place before I leave? I should get the lay of the land at least."_

_"Lay of the land?"_

_"Ugh.. I have turned into Professor Gyphan. I know."_

_. . . ._

_"... so I've been checking over some patients and using some new technology we developed to monitor ambient brainwave energies," Hasani explained as they walked._

_Kelly was looking around observing some people around them. She noticed a young woman walking down the hall, headed for one of the rooms they had just passed. She had on skinny blue jeans,and a red blouse with a leather Jacket. Her hair was curly and seemed a bit wind blown. She was pretty, young and a bit intense looking from Kellys' observation._

_"Miss Pierce. Back again?" Hani smiled greeting her._

_She nodded but her body language seemed hesitant and unsure like she was guarding against something._

_Kellys' Brain was racing as she looked back at the young woman. Pierce! As in Jeff's family's that she'd told Iris they should not try to directly contact until they had more details._

_"Doctor Jonson."_

_"Kelly, this is Anissa. Her mother is heavily involved in the research division for the gifted youth."_

_Anissa turned to Kelly giving her the visual once over before reaching out to shake her hand. Anissas' handshake was solid._

_She pulled back and they regarded each other for a moment._

_"I gotta-" Anissa pointed in the direction she had been headed and continued on her way._

_"I don't think she's a huge fan of mine." Hasani commented as they walked._

_"Your normal charm just hasn't Kicked in yet._

_"You assume I still have charm."_

_"Domestic life with Selik eroding your skills?_

_"Hardly._

_"So, what's Anissa here for? Looking for her mom?"_

_"I- no. I believe she's checking on a friend but it's not really my place to say Ke, you know-"_

_Kelly just nodded as they reached the end of this floor._

_"And with that, I'm gonna let you go. Dynamic Duo style tomorrow?" He asked_

_"As long as you remember, you're sidekick. " She told him as she headed for the elevator._

_"No arguments here."_

_. . . ._

**_(The next day at hotel restaurant roughly 9am)_ **

_Kelly sat across the table from Iris, who had just joined her a few minutes ago. Given the heat in Freeland, Iris had kept it simple with a pair of skinny dark wash blue Jeans and a simple white blouse, that Kelly was tempted to ask to borrow at some point._

_She hadn't been able to catch her when she got to the Hotel that night and the conversation she needed to have with her had stuck in Kellys' brain the whole evening. Iris seemed rather relaxed about everything so Kelly couldn't quite tell if she had simply forgotten what they talked about on the plane or if Kelly herself was misinterpreting something._

_"I just ordered us some orange juice to start while I was waiting."_

_"Any sustenance to start the day. I am starving." Iris told her, smiling a little. "Hey. Listen, about yesterday, I-I wasn't accusing him of anything."_

_"You made it sound like he was trying to steal technology or research from me."_

_"That's- I didn't mean it like that. It's just, the reporter in me always has questions."_

_" And I'm not saying you shouldn't."_

_The conversation paused as the waitress came back with the orange juices._

_"Were you ladies ready to order your food or did you need a little more time?_

_"Oh...let me do the scrambled egg surprise with fresh fruit and a side of grits." Iris answered as the waitress wrote it down._

_"Same thing. Just make my fruit strawberries please," Kelly told the woman._

_"Can do," she said as she walked off."_

_"I've gotta meet Hani at the Wellness Center this afternoon. "_

_"Do you want me to-?_

_"No. No uhm, actually you said you wanted to investigate around town, maybe get some word of mouth right?"_

_Iris nodded. " I'm not gonna bite his head off Kelly."_

_"I know. Just easier not to drag him into this."_

_"He's kinda already smack dab in the center though, isn't he?" Iris noted as she sipped her orange juice._

_"Being in the Wellness Center is more coincidence than anything. Hani goes where people need help."_

_"Okay. I get it. Trust me. "_

_"Thank you." Kelly feels herself deflate, the mind tension she had felt as they talked, vacating her body._

_"Here, since you got us the plane ride over here. How about I buy you an apology breakfast?"_

_"You don't have to do that."_

_"Are you saying no to breakfast?"_

_"Not in this lifetime. "Kelly laughs mostly at her own appetite as the waitress returns with their food._

_"Looks like we have a deal." Iris unzipped her purse then and pulled out a hotel key card. " by the way, here. They give two for every room so I figured…"_

_Kelly reached forward, accepting the offered card before taking the extra to her room, out and reciprocating the gesture._

_"So, just in case."_

_"Yeah, just in case."_

  
  


_. . . ._

_(_ **_1 pm at Wellness Center)_ **

_Kelly was scanning the papers Hani had given her as she headed to the next room. This 'ambient brain energy monitoring and mental trauma evaluation of unconscious patients was incredible to say the least. If she had to choose a word for it, she'd have almost called it science fiction a few years ago._

_Hani had decided they should just split the floor so he got all the rooms on the left and she was taking the rooms on the right. He had looked surprisingly dressed down when she had arrived in his office. He had gone with just a pair of blue jeans and a light purple button up shirt, with the sleeves rolled up. The shirt had looked like something Selik would have picked out and sure enough when she asked, Hani had smiled seeming almost shy considering they were talking about his long time boyfriend, now fiance. "Selik always said Purple and button ups look incredible on me," He told her. Kelly had wondered again why Selik had to go on business mid move but honestly none of her business at the moment considering he would be there any day now._

_As she opened the door to the next room she found herself apparently interrupting something._

_"...And I just don't know how much longer I can do all this with Jenn and mom-" Anissa was speaking, monologing really to the woman lying unconscious, comatose actually, on the bed. She paused realizing Kelly was there._

_"I'm sorry. I-" Kelly began apologizing. She hadn't really expected there to be other people in the room._

_Anissa turned looking at her for a moment before the recognition crossed her face._

_"Hey." She greeted sounding understandably guarded given the interruption._

_"I was just doing… well some rounds I guess. I didn't mean to interrupt you and your uhm…" Kelly trails off, not one hundred percent sure what she had interrupted._

_"Girlfriend. " Anissa answers, with no hesitation, " Actually fiance really." She corrects herself, seeming to carry no shyness whatsoever in that regard._

_Kelly looks between Anissa and the young woman on the bed. Her mind almost involuntarily thinks of Val then of Alex in a similar position a few months back, though far less severe._

_"Oh. You seem a little young to be engaged. She covers the blank space with empty questions, her mind in overdrive._

_"When you know, you just know." Anissa tells her. "So...Kelly right, you're pretty new. I haven't seen you before yesterday. "_

_Kelly can't help but feel like she's about to be interrogated. "Oh I'm just doing a favor for Hani- Doctor Hasani Jonson" She corrects herself._

_"He's new too. I think Sedgwell- Mr Sedgwell just brought him on a few weeks ago."_

_"Well Hani always goes where people need help."_

_"I'm just surprised that they don't have him at the new facility they're gonna build in Central City." Anissa tells her. She seemed to be watching and reading Kelly searching for a particular reaction._

_"Oh. I hadn't heard there even was a facility in Central City."_

_"Neither had I until recently."_

_Kelly nods. " I'll have to ask Hasani if he's looking to transfer I guess."_

_There's a pause and Kelly feels like she's in a chess match but not in a bad way, although not in a particularly good way either. Anissa is...intense but truth be told she is kinda reminding Kelly of Iris at the moment; Intense, stubborn but great friends. She's protecting her friend. Hasani wasn't a threat though and the blanket of suspicion in the air made her skin itch. "Anissa," Kelly stepped closer but not too much, not wanting to invade Anissa space, " I'm really just here to help. "_

_Anissa turned towards the bed looking back at the woman in the bed. " My sister said, Dr Jonson was initiating some program to Pyscho-analyze ambient brain waves for Isolating trauma."_

_"Sometimes a little mind healing is good even when you're unconscious. Sometimes it's good when conscious too." Kelly notes, observing Anissa._

_Anissa scoffed slightly. " Are you trying to tell me to see a shrink?"_

_"That's not- that came out wrong."_

_Beep!!! Beep!!!_

_The blarring of Anissas' phone alarm went off._

_"Shit." She commented, looking down at it. She looked between Kelly and Grace. Kelly held up a small hand held digital monitor Hasani gave her. "I'm just here to help."_

_Anissa nodded as she got up, grabbing her bag to head out._

_. . . ._

**_(6 pm Wellness Center)_ **

_Kelly sat at Hasanis' desk starring at the paperwork and information from her digital monitor, trying with every fiber of her brain to make it make sense. She had checked on about 25 kids and young adults today. Some were unconscious, probably 4. The rest awake and she'd done some mild evaluations which their parents appeared to have signed off on. Most of the kids seemed fine though some of the younger one rambled about white rooms, and some employee named Vincent in ways that gave her pause and raised hairs on her arms. They didn't talk like he'd touch them but there was some undercurrent of Fear there that left her with more questions. She wished Hasani was there so she could talk to him, though part of her was curious why he hadn't mentioned anything himself. Hasani was normal a wiz with evaluations on Kids._

_What was percolating through her brain now though was some of the scan results. Grace results and scans were not adding up. Based off of the ambient brainwave scanner, Grace was essentially awake. The energy generated by some trauma had simply inhibited her bodys' ability to function consciously, but otherwise, she was aware; kinda like being paralyzed while fully conscious. L-Corp had been developing a prototype that could soothe the neural trauma in peoples' brains to stimulate recovery for Ptsd and stimulate brain function and Kelly couldn't help the idea that crossed her mind before she shelved it. That project had been shelved by her and Lena anyways and it wasn't something that could really be taken out of the building, why it was still being fully worked out. They hadnt really gotten to evaluating the potential mental health side effects and after her own poor decisions with Non nocore, Lena was perhaps overtly cautious by Kellys' estimation, as she checked and re-evaluated the new project. Kelly was the one who had suggested shelving it too. It was crazy._

_Hasi entered the office, still mid phone conversation._

_"...where is he? I can't -?" His voice seemed both desperate and angry and a bit strained._

_He paused seeing Kelly._

_"Is everything okay?" She asked, standing and moving closer to him, to offer help. Something was clearly wrong._

_"It's nothing. Just a mishap with the travel agent." He told her, abruptly hanging up._

_"Selik?" She asked, still thrown off by Seliks' absence the past few days._

_"Keke…"_

_AAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSRRRRRR!_

_The wailing of the alarm blarring through the building cut off whatever he was going to say._

**_INTRUDER ALERT!_ **

_A Semi robotic voice spoke over the loudspeaker. Hasani and Kelly ran out of the room, heading for the stairs, knowing the elevators would be a bad choice at this point. Kelly stepped lightly hoping not to twist an ankle in her boots as she runs, following Hasani down the stairs to the ground floor to find out what was happening._

_They exited the stairs on the opposite side of the main desk from the elevator and came around to see a security guard, a tall and some what heavy set light complexioned black man, who seemed to be coming from the sub basement area Hasani had mentioned to Kelly earlier that day. He was leading...Iris? back to the front._

_Kelly watched Iris as she walked towards them with security in tow._

_" Hey." Iris waved, " I got lost. This place is a maze. " She declared, looking at Kelly for support._

_Kelly walked over towards Iris. She could feel a headache coming; the same kinda headache she got when James had done something stupid when they where younger but she still wanted to defend him from Auntie punishments._

_"Iris, " She whispered, " whats-?_

_"Kelly listen, " Iris whispered back, " I know this looks bad . Listen, I was checking for-"_

_"This isn't a good time." Kelly was mouthing quietly as she stepped up next to Iris' side, subtly sliding between her and the security guard._

_"FALSE ALARM!" Hasanis' voice rang out over the floor. "Just some friends taking a wrong turn." He backed up Iris' claim as he waved off the security officers that had began popping up from other rooms before nodding at the officer who had been escorting Kelly, quietly dismissing him._

_Hasani looked over at Kelly and Iris. "Miss West-Allen to what do I owe the pleasure. Kelly had said you were busy."_

_"I actually was just looking for Kelly."_

_"Oh. I see. Well it's the second through fourth floor where we do our evaluations. "_

_Kelly watched this exchange. It seemed polite but Kelly couldn't help feeling like she was hanging in the middle. Iris' hand was on her Kelly shoulder, always like she was making a point to Hani._

_"Yeah. Sorry about all the noise," Iris apologized._

_"No worries."_

_Iris turned looking at Kelly. "I was out running some errands and was in the area. I just was wanting to check on Kelly."_

_Hasani simply nodded, smiling a little and seemed to completely accept that answer. "Well, I am glad Keke has friends that check in on her," He told her, sounding like his thoughts were a bit far away at that moment. " I still gotta finish processing some information from my evaluations." He explained as he headed back up stairs._

_Once he was out of ear shot, Kelly looked over at Iris. "What were you doing?" She whispered._

_"Kelly." Iris whispered back, " I heard a rumor and I needed to be sure."_

_"And…?"_

_"We need to talk to Jeff and soon."_

_Kelly paused, Remembering her run in with Anissa and the guardedness and exhaustion she could practically feel radiating off the woman, when they had spoken. " Maybe now isn't a good time to dump drama at his doorstep."_

_"It's already at his doorstep."_

_"Iris just please- please wait okay." She pulled away, headed for the stairs._

_"Kelly. Be careful okay."_

_Kelly nodded. " I'll catch up with you soon. I just need to finish up some things here okay."_

_"Just-"_

_"Be careful? Only if you do to"_

_"Aren't I always?"_

_Kelly scoffed slightly, nearly wanting to laugh. She hadn't known Iris for extremely long but even she knew carefulness was not Iris' usual wheelhouse._

_. . . ._

**_( after midnight in Freeland, about 15 minutes until 1am)_ **

_Kelly sat on the bed in her hotel room. Iris wasn't back, when she went to check, but a quick phone call had told her that the other woman was okay. The TV in the background was playing a report of Blacklightning preventing another mugging and mild bombing attempt and had she not lived in National city, she likely would have felt more stressed by that than she actually did or should. The papers from her evaluations that day, that she'd tossed in her bag earlier, were spread out around her and this ever pressing idea would not leave her alone as she stared at the chart she had for Grace and thought about Anissa. It was insane. She had been telling Iris that injecting into the Pierce family life was unnecessarily invasive and yet here Kelly sat herself considering it. She really shouldn't interfere but maybe...just maybe…_

_After a back and forth internal debate, she reached to the night stand grabbing her phone. Normally she'd feel bad for calling Alex so late given the time difference but Alex had admitted to her that she usually 'was up late binging junk food and wine when Kelly was out of town cause she missed her so much. It was both sweet and mildly concerning admission but not to a level where she thought she needed to complain about this particular vice just yet. Still the chance to check on Alex and get a second opinion and possibly some help was too tempting to resist at the moment._

_Alex picked up on the third ring._

_"Hey…" She sounded a tiny bit drunk and her voice had this dreamy quality like she was trying to seduce Kelly over the phone for a moment, " So is this a business call or a pleasure call?" Alex asked._

_Kelly felt the the smile as a dirty thought of the last time her and Alex had played phone sex games. "Mostly Business, and maybe pleasure later," she answered back._

_"Well perhaps I can tempt you later."_

_"Babe...I kinda need your help with something...maybe...kind of…"_

_"What's going on? Are you-" Alex asked sounding much more serious now_

_"I'm not sure. I sorta need to help someone. "_

_"Help them how?"_

_"Alex, can I ask you something kinda crazy?"_

_"Anything."_

_"Do you think sometimes interfering to help people is okay even if you have to break a few rules?"_

_Alex laughed a little. " Breaking rules is basically all any of us do anymore."_

_"Do you trust me?"_

_"With my life." Alex answered without hesitation._

_"This is crazy and I probably shouldn't interfere cause I told Iris not to right now but this is different and I just wanna help her. If It was you and me in this situation-" Kelly blurts out the information quickly. She can feel herself rambling as she roots around for the right way to ask Alex what she wants to ask her._

_"Kelly, slow down. Who are we helping? What do you need me to do?"_

_Kelly can't help but feel instantly grateful that Alex is so automatically willing to go with her without really knowing what's going on._

_"I kinda need you to bring me something from Lcorp."_

_"Oh. Do you want me to call Le-?"_

_"It's not really something that's supposed to be taken out of the building.Lena and I kinda shelved the prototypes." She pauses, " I need you to take it and bring it to me."_

_"You want me to steal it? Out of L-corp? What exactly is this device anyways?"_

_"This girl...Grace is like trap fully concous in a coma like state."_

_"Oh my god. Thats-"_

_"Remember How Barry and Iris told us about Jeff?"_

_"Yeah. We sort of met."_

_"It's- She's his daughters' fiancé apparently."_

_"Kelly…" Alex trailed off, but Kelly could feel her questions through the phone._

_"Alex…"_

_Alex paused, sighing as if weighing the decision in her head a moment. "This is safe?"_

_"It is. There's no risk as far as I can tell. The side effects should be minor. Low dosage is all it would take."_

_"Why did you and Lena shelve this anyways?"_

_" High exposure has some...complex potential side effects." Kelly admits._

_"Okay. Okay. I trust you. I'll do it."_

_Kelly instantly feels relieved. She can't help it. For a moment the intensity of her plans and the indecision she had been feeling, washes out of her body, like rain flowing out of a water spout. "I love you." She tells Alex, her voice sift with adoration and Gratitude. Besides, it's just a maybe. She just wants it on hand just in case._

_"Love you more. What have you been up to anyways?"_

_"Missing you mostly. Foiled a few low level robberies and you know… had some drinks with Kara and Lena tonight but I got tired of them looking at each other, like they where undressing each other so I freed myself "_

_"I can't wait to see you in your suit again," Kelly told her, remembering fondly the time on the roof with Alex in her suit and the save and honestly if Kara hadn't interrupted near the end there, it would be an even more enticing memory._

_" Well, I never keep my lady waiting." Alex voice had taken on that semi phone sex quality again._

_"Sleep first. Get the device later, tomorrow. Please be careful."_

_"I know. I know. Love you, Alex told her before they ended the call."_

To be continued in - Friend in need ( The balance of trust)


	5. A Friend in need ( Balance of trust)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kelly helps Anissa with a problem and A building disagreement between Kelly and Iris cause conflict

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More of friend on need. All of Friend in need was originally one chapter

**_(10 am, Iris hotel room, about 10 hours after Kelly had talked to Alex on the phone)_ **

_ Kelly had that headache again as she sat on the bed in Iris hotel room. Truth be told she was so double minded right now that she wasn't sure what to think. She trusted Iris. She also trusted Hani completely. Something was wrong though. Every instinct in her body was telling her to trust Hani, and was equally screaming at her to trust Iris. _

_ "Kelly these kids are missing. They were supposed to be transfered to a new facility but the details are vapor. These Transfer plans started recently. I'm talking like just a few weeks after we dealt with that mess at the conference. " Iris had paused in her pacing across the floor to address her. _

_ "Shouldn't there be massive reports of missing-" Kelly starts to ask only to pause as Iris gives her a look. Of course, missing Black kids wasn't raising any alarm bells. They left that thought unspoken in the air between then. _

_ "Plus the kids are documented as being move to some new Wellness center-" _

_ "In Central City? She asked, recalling her conversation the other day with Anissa. _

_ "Yeah. How did you-?" _

_ "Something I heard. So then Sedgwell has moved on to random Kidnapings?" _

_ "Unless it's not random. Maybe these kids were somehow specifically selected." _

_ "So is he-?" _

_ " If I had to guess, I would say Sedgwell has them evaluated," Iris puts a bit of extra emphasis on that word, " and that's how he selects them." _

_ "Iris…" she can feel the challenge in her own voice. _

_ "I'm not saying Hasani is involved. There's definitely a connection." _

_ Kelly can't really argue with that. She's noticing the connection herself; her concerns about the childrens' fear of the man they called Vincent had twisted in her gut all night. Hasani could be in danger from whatever Sedgwell was doing and not even know it. _

_ "We should talk to Jeff. This is his city and-" Iris begins to insist again. _

_ "No! Not yet. Iris please. We agreed on being low profile." _

_ "Missing kids trumps low profile." _

_ Any other time, Kelly would agree but dumping this on them, the near breaking she saw in Anissa, she had sensed...it felt selfish to drag them all the way in like this. _

_ "Kelly, we have to do something." Iris tells her, her voice softer and more a question now as she seems to sense Kelly having some inner conflict. _

_ "I just need a little time to work something out." _

_ "Okay, but this-" _

_ "I know." _

_ Iris steps towards her, the mild battle of wills between them deflating and Kelly can practically feel the need to hug or do something to make sure they're both okay. Their friendship is still so new though. Her uncertainty leading her to simply rub Iris' shoulder in solidarity as she sits down next to her on the bed. _

_ "I just wanna make sure you're okay. There's every chance your right and I'm just overly cautious." _

_ "Or you're just cautious enough," Kelly finds herself willingly giving ground now that the energy is more steady between them. _

_ "I trust your instincts. I do. I just-" _

_ "It's okay to be stressed about that." Kelly told her, referring to the incident Iris had mentioned on the plane ride over. "Someone violated your space." _

_ Iris seemed a bit tense as though her mind was falling back to the incident and Kelly pulled her carefully into a hug then, not even really thinking, not realizing herself that she needed one to, to cleanse things between them, until she was there. _

_ She was still disturbed by what Iris had described finding in her office a few days ago; a warning or threat really, after the Conference Convention and even more disturbed by the confusion and almost endless agitation it had left Iris with. _

_ BEEP BEEP! _

_ Kelly phone alarm that she had set, blurred alerting her to the time. _

_ "Oh. I need to-" _

_ "Yeah. No. Yeah. Uhm go ahead. I've actually got some people I need to talk to anyways so-" _

_ "Iris…" _

_ " I know. Low profile.  _

_ Kelly stood, walking towards the door. Her mind was already discounting the idea of Iris keeping a low profile. "Iris...please…" _

_ "I promise." _

_ . . . . _

**_(3pm at the Wellness Center, Graces' room)_ **

_ Kelly was easedropping. Actually that wasn't true. Anissa simply hadn't heard her as she entered the room and she didn't want to interrupt whatever was happening but she didn't leave either. _

_ Anissa was laying on the bed, eyes closed, her head resting on Grace' chest and she was...she was talking to Grace; like a full blown conversation where she seemed to be waiting for Grace to respond. _

_ "I know you said it's not my fault but it kinda still feels like...like how could it not be? _

_ There was a pause as Anissa waited, before she continued. " I know but I shouldn't have let you make that choice." _

_ There was another pause. " I don't wanna talk to my mom. Now is not the time. Grace you-" _

_ Kelly felt very much like she should step back out or say something or do something. She kinda found herself paralyzed, hit by a sudden flash of mixed memories between Val and Alex. _

_ "Anissa?" She called her name, hoping she didn't come off like a threat in that moment.  _

_ Anissa opened her eyes sitting up quickly. She looked exhausted by Kellys' observation. She was tense and looked like she was almost holding her breath waiting for some kind of attack to come upon her before she realized it was just Kelly there.  _

_ "It's just me...I'm-sorry, I needed to uhm…" Kelly searches for an explanation. _

_ "I didn't hear you come in." Anissa sounded like she was trying to figure out exactly how long Kelly had been standing there. _

_ "I wasn't...uhm-" _

_ "You slipping around here like a ghost." Anissas' tone was less like an accusation and almost sounded like she was teasing Kelly, as she visibly relaxed.  _

_ " Trick I learned in the army." Kelly jokes going with the direction Anissa is taking the conversation. _

_ "You were in the army?" _

_ "A lifetime ago." Kelly rushes past that subject. "So, is everything okay?" She asked, not wanting to be nosey but somewhat powerless to fight her bodies natural inclination towards empathy. _

_ Anissa looks at her as if she's not sure how to respond to that and Kelly is not inclined to comment on Anissas' conversation with Grace. _

_ "Theres' just a lot going on. Nothing I can't handle." Anissas tone seems more like bravado that anything.  _

_ "Grace is safe here you know?" _

_ "She's unconscious." Anissa states flatly and that really kinda says it all regarding her thoughts.  _

_ "You don't trust the center?" _

_ "Do you?" _

_ Kelly can't say that she does trust the center. She trusted Hasani though, even with the clear shadow of something involving Sedgwell hanging in the air. " I'm not sure yet," she admits, seeing no value in lying and fudging at that moment. " Things here are...question raising" _

_ Anissa nods. "I've noticed." She states, simply. Her eyes seem exhausted and resigned like she's just waiting for some other shoe to drop.  _

_ Kelly stepped further into the room. "So… you're just standing guard?" _

_ "Vigilence keeps people alive. I can't afford to slip again." Anissa tells her. " _

_ Kelly studies Anissa, wondering if she's over stepping slightly as she says, "whatever happened to Grace isn't your fault. You know that right?" _

_ "You don't know that." Anissa tells her and something inside Kelly aches. She's often thought the same things about Val dying; that maybe it was her fault. It took years and Hasanis' help and ironically full on therapy to heal that wound. Anissa doesn't really have that kind of time though, and Grace isn't dead.  _

_ "Anissa" Any thoughts of running her idea by Anissa are draining from Kellys' mind as her worry increases exponentially. Anissa needs help; she needs Grace and maybe it's insane, maybe it's shadey, but Kelly has to help her somehow, "I'm sorry." _

_ BEEP!!! The beeping of the phone or whatever that is inside Anissas bag is so startling that both Anissa and Kelly feel almost irritated by it, judging by their reactions.  _

_ "Thanks." Anissa tells her quietly as she checks the...whatever that is that looks like a phone but clearly is not before sighing and looking back at Grace. _

_ "I got her if you need to…" Kelly pulls out the monitoring device showing it to Anissa who nods as she slowly heads out looking back at Grace one last time. _

_ . . . . _

**_(6PM at Wellness Center)_ **

_ Kelly leaned against the door to one of the evaluation rooms, watching Hasani finish up with a young boy. She was still processing her last run in with Anissa an hour ago. The tell tale exhaustion on the young woman's face was glaring in her mind. _

_ The boy Hasani was helping was laughing at whatever Mickey mouse joke Hasani had told. She recognized the punch line of this particular joke but couldn't quite remember the entire thing. _

_ "...and Mickey lowered the camera and told him, yeah but you don't see me complaining about spilled ink do you." _

_ "Ahahahhhh…" _

_ "My friend Jay told me that one years ago. It never gets old." _

_ "Doctor Jonson, am I gonna stop having those bad dreams soon? Am I being transfered like Malik was?" The young man asked, in the random innocent way children were prone to. He appeared no older than 8 to Kellys' estimation.  _

_ "Jamaal theres'..." Hasani paused. He seemed to be searching for an honest answer. "there's no way of saying. There's so many variables." _

_ "Oh…" _

_ "I promise, I'm gonna look into it though okay. Right now, we are simply determining what the extent is of the mental stress the events of last year inflicted on some of the youth and what effects that may have caused." _

_ Jamaal nodded, accepting Hasanis' words at face value. " Is mister Vincent gonna leave? Will he be at that new facility?" _

_ "Jamaal…" _

_ "I don't like him…" _

_ Hasani sighed and Kelly could see the discomfort in his body language. " I don't like him either." Hasani admitted and his voice had this edge to it that Kelly was surprised by. _

_ "Hani?" She called him, interrupting a little as Hani was slipping the scanner back in his pocket.  _

_ He turned, looking at her and nodded, realizing what time it was. _

_ "Okay, Jamaal, you're all done." _

_ Hani pulled a sucker out of his pocket, handing it to the boy as if he'd just given him a shot before dismissing him. _

_ "These parents are not gonna be happy with all the candy you hand out." Kelly teased his bad habits as they walked down the hall. _

_ "That barely has any sugar in it." He deflected.  _

_ "You know Selik, will not let you give your child candy when you two finally adopt." _

_ Hasani smiled wistfully. " We were in line and signed up and had visited some agencies before...uhm...before the move." Hasani seems almost lost for a moment as he explains, " There's this little boy, we were all set to adopt. Eric, his name is Eric. His parents died in a car wreck. Selik and I actually had met him a few times too. He looks like little me, Keke. He's only 7 but he's so smart. He had a hard time in some foster homes...you know how it can be.. I- I wanted more than anything to-" _

_ "Oh. So…" _

_ "The move happened and the timing just-" he shrugged, seeming lost for a moment. "So what did you get from your evaluations today?" He shifted the subject and Kelly was ready to go with it and let him, though her mind was twisting at how out of Character it was for Hasani to just uproot and leave that boy like that. _

_ "Hani where are the kids transferring to?" _

_ He looks at her for a moment.  _

_ "A center in Central City as far as I know but I'm not sure."  _

_ "How are you not-?" _

_ " Keke, I just got here. There's a lot of moving pieces in play and things still being developed.  _

_ She nodded accepting that answer. "So...Vincent? The people in the center seem to dispise him." _

_ " If you met him, well…" _

_ They finally stopped walking in front of Hasanis office. _

_ "I have one more person to check on." She told him as he headed inside. _

_ . . . . _

**_( roughly 10-11pm)_ **

_ Kelly moved quickly through the parking lot. Her binder was in her hand carrying the needed information, she had been checking and triple checking all night long. Part of her wondered how Alex had gotten a plane ride that quickly but most of her was just too grateful to even think about it. _

_ She stood by the car, waiting as Alex opened the door. _

_ "Hey. I come baring a gift." Alex told her. She had the box with the device inside.  _

_ For a moment Kelly felt nervous but that quickly vanished as Alex handed it to her. _

_ She nodded. _

_ "Thank you."  _

_ " I'll wait here for you. Low profile." Alex told her, then she reached into the glove box finding a razer and giving it to her. Typical Alex. _

_ . . . . _

**_( 11:15pm Graces' room at Wellness Center)_ **

_ Kelly watched the young woman on the bed as she sat the device on the table. She took the two small, thumb size circular disc on the side of the device still ambivalent and wishing she had some way of being sure. _

_ THWACK! _

_ The door flew open as Anissa rushed in behind her. Kelly turned toward the younger woman. She had on black textured sweats and some kind of wrist band, that was beeping. She looked like she had been running and seemed slightly out of breath. There was a slash in the front of the sweater like someone had attacked her with a knife but she did not appear to be visibly injured in any way that Kelly could see. Anissa looked between Kelly and Grace on the bed. Kelly could literally feel the air become thicker with tension as Anissa stepped closer to her. _

_ "What are you doing?" It was a threat as much as it was a question. _

_ "Anissa...listen...I'm trying to help." _

_ "Help? Really? Help how? Cause I just walked in on you creeping around in the middle of the night, using unknown tech, looking like you're about to fry my girlfriends brain." _

_ Kelly put her hands up in surrender. Technically she couldn't really argue with that. " It's not like that at all, I swear. I'm waking Grace up…" She paused, " or rather she's already awake. It's complicated. " _

_ " wait what?.. Explain. Make it uncomplicated." _

_ "Anissa, I know this looks crazy but I need you to trust me. I just wanna help you...both of you." Kelly stopped considering her options. " This device is just gonna sooth Graces neural trauma to allow her mind to come out of the loop she's in." _

_ "You're saying she's concious but the trauma we- she experienced overloaded her brains' processing capabilities and triggered a shutdown to protect her mind and you wanna use something to relax and mute the feedback from the trauma on a neural level to allow her mind to heal enough to move forward." Anissa spoke, summing up Kellys' thoughts on how this should work as though she was reading her mind and Kelly was hit once again by curiosity about the younger woman, who surprised her with her quick grasp of the idea. "How do I know that you're telling the truth? Anissas' voice wavered between defensiveness and hope, like part of her wanted to believe Kelly. _

_ Kelly carefully and slowly reached over to the table, picking up the device and held it out for Anissa to take. "You don't have to trust me. Trust yourself. I know this all seems messy and maybe it is and you're torn between protecting Grace and having faith in a stranger. I've been there. I've...I've lost people I love. I know how hard trust is." _

_ Anissa Carefully took the device. She looked between it, Kelly and Grace. _

_ "Low dosage. It will just release a calming energy into the two receptors on Graces head and should mute the energy that's trapped her in this feedback." Kelly stepped aside. "I just wanna help you." _

_ Anissa looked at her, seeming like she was repressing any sign of weakness or at least trying to. " If you're lying, I swear-" _

_ Kelly simply nodded completely understanding. She watched as Anissa activated the device, keeping it set low, as a soft blue energy wave surrounded the receptors by Grace' head. _

_ After a moment or two, seeing that the device wasn't hurting Grace in any noticeable way, Anissa relaxed, her body seeming less tense as she waited now. _

_ A sudden cough from Grace, startled both women. Anissa nearly dropped the device as Graces' eyes opened and she groaned slightly from stiffness blinking slightly and sharply inhaling. _

_ "Grace?" Anissas' voice was barely a whisper. She stepped closer to the bed seeming a bit shaky. Kelly reached forward as Anissa relinquished the device to her, seeming enraptured by Grace. _

_ "...Ani...Anissa?" Grace spoke her voice strained from lack of use. _

_ "Don't...your in-" _

_ "Hospital. I know" Grace spoke quietly though her answers appeared to confirm the consciousness readouts Kelly had gotten. She seemed aware of her surroundings in both a fascinating and terrifying way. _

_ Anissa looked over at Kelly and Kelly could clearly read the shocked gratitude in her face as she handed the receptors back to Kelly to reattach to the device. She nodded, feeling this wasn't the time to talk but wanting Anissa to know she understood.  _

_ "Kelly…"  _

_ "Yeah. I know." _

_ Kelly breathed out, feeling this calm feeling rushed through her as she got the sense that things were gonna be okay. _

_ . . . . _

**_(3am at the Hotel)_ **

_ Kelly laughed in delight as Alex pressed her up against the door kissing her like she was starving and Kelly was a 5 course meal. Alex' Jacket and her red striped button up shirt had already been tossed to the floor. Alex' small black bag, with the device securely inside, was set on the floor by the door. Her hands were working on Kellys' clothes at that moment. _

_ "I missed you." Alex told her as she pulled away to look at Kelly.  _

_ " I can see…" Kelly was near breathless running on a high. The combination of having saved the day for Anissa and having Alex half naked about to do delicious things to her body, was like a drug. "Bed now." She told Alex who moved quickly to do her bidding, pulling Kelly with her. _

_ Kelly fully unzipped her skirt, nearly ripping it off and pulling off her shirt that Alex had already unbuttoned. She gave Alex a small push back on to the bed. Alex' eyes were excited, lustful, and wanting. Kelly crawled over her, pushing her to lie back as she finished pulling off Alex pants. Then she was kissing Alex' lips again, her hand stroking Alex' hair pulling her in, not wanting to separate from her lover. _

_ She felt out of control, Alex moans and sighs told her in no uncertain terms that she wanted more as Kelly unhooked the latch for the simple black cross strap bra Alex wore, with one hand. Kelly moved down to Alex neck Kissing and nipping, wanting to simply drown her girlfriend in pleasure, intermingled with this desire to take her...roughly, intensely; it was consuming her thoughts. The high of saving the day was swirling with this stark fear she'd been pushing to the back of her mind all week; the fear of losing Alex in any way. She needed to feel alive and make sure Alex felt it too. _

_ "Kelly…" Alex moan out her name _

_ "Tell me what you want." It came out more like a command than she intended. Her hand was already preparing to remove the simple but silky black panties with the 'love potion' symbol on them. She internally smiled remembering that she had actually purchased these for Alex along with a matching black tie and a new bottle of scented oil from a shop in National city. The last time they had the scented oil and these particular panties had ended up with Alex wanting to spanked, counting out each stroke as Kelly had told her to do. It was an invigorating memory;Her girlfriend surrendering to her, also a flip on their usual dynamic. _

_ "Please... I want-" _

_ KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK _

_ The noise at the door was like a pestilence irritatant and Kelly had half a mind to ignore whatever was happening. _

_ "Kelly. It's Iris. Are you okay? I was worried. Please say something." Iris' voice called from the other side of the door. Her concern was evident in her time given the late hour Kelly had returned. "Kelly?" _

_ Kelly heard the telltale electronic click of her door being carefully unlocked, and for about the first time since the shared room Keys she actually thought that may have been an error. She pulled on the covers wrapping the soft, red blanket around her and Alex quickly. _

_ "Iris...wait…" Kelly spoke as Iris opened the door. _

_ "I was worried that-" Iris was speaking as she entered the room taking a few steps inside, only to stop as she saw Kelly and Alex Half naked hastily covered by a blanket. She tore her eyes away from the bed, looking down at the floor. "Oh…uhm… _

_ "I'm fine. I'm okay. Everything is fine." Kelly rambled out, her voice still clearing. _

_ "I should-" Iris said as she was stepping back, trying to leave the room. The straps of the small black bag that Alex had dropped by the door in the mist of her and Kellys' amorous activities had other plans though. Iris nearly tripped over it as she was backing out. 3 or 4 of the shirts and pants Alex had hastily tossed in that bag were falling out as the bag tipped sideways and the small black metal case the device was secured in rolled out. Iris looked at the device case with the L-corp logo on the floor, glanced up then immediately back down seeming to recall that Kelly and Alex were still naked and she continued backing out glancing back at the case one more time. Kelly got the distinct feeling that the wheels were still turning in Iris' head and she was sure there was gonna be some fall out. _

_ . . . . _

**_(12pm at the hotel)_ **

_ Kelly had called Hasani explaining she was gonna be running a little late, and he was gracious and understanding as always. Hani had a tendency to give her leeway to be sloppy in a way she normally couldn't allow for. She had taken a quick shower and pulled on a simple pair of blue jeans and a black turtleneck. Alex was still sleeping , tangled in the sheets. Kelly had found it difficult to leave her girlfriends' embrace and warmth after the week she'd been processing through. The fun of seeing Hasani had been mixed with the increasing stress she felt as it became increasingly clear something was going on here.  _

_ Kelly knocked on the door to Iris hotel room and it was almost immediately answered as if Iris had known Kelly would end up coming to her. She moved, letting Kelly into the room.  _

_ . . . . _

_ ( _ **_12:15, Iris' hotel room)_ **

_ Kelly just sat on the bed, looking at Iris who was leaning against the stand that the television rested on, looking back at her. _

_ "I'm- so uhm Alex is here." Kelly stated the obvious. _

_ "I see."  _

_ "I'm- I should of sent a text or called since-" _

_ "You're an adult. I- you don't have to tell me everything you're doing. I was just-" _

_ "I know why you're worried. If- if that happened to me, I'd- " _

_ "Yeah." There was a pause as Iris seemed to study her for a moment. "At least I know you're safe with Alex. She even brought some L-corp toys with her."  _

_ Kelly winced slightly at the verbal jab, already knowing Iris was putting together something pretty close to the truth in her head. _

_ "Iris." _

_ "Kelly…" _

_ Kelly felt like she was about to be scolded by a sibling, which was weird. _

_ "Look Alex-" _

_ "Kelly, we both know you didn't just call Alex to come down here for an interstate booty call at 3am. What did you do?" Iris tone is not so much an accusation but rather the tone you use when you already know someone did something.  _

_ "It's...nothing. I just- one of the patients I was evaluating needed help. " _

_ "Which patient? What kind of help?" _

_ "Grace Choi. She was kind of trapped. I just-" _

_ "Anissas' girlfriend Grace?" Iris was using that, ' I already know the answer' tone again. " So much for not interfering and low profile." _

_ "This is different. It was quiet. I just gave her a low dose of something to soothe her brain." _

_ "Soothe her brain? Kelly you can't just-" Iris voice is scolding and Kelly feels it pressing at the questions in her mind. _

_ "I didn't. Anissa did it." _

_ "Anissa? What? " _

_ "It's fine." _

_ "Really? How?" Iris' tone is definitely accusing now. _

_ "This isn't me banging on someone's door upending them and their kids lives to drag them into some complex fight with a corporate Millionaire and some clandestine secret group of metas just cause I met them once." Kelly shots back feeling unusually defensive.  _

_ "I'm not dragging anyone into anything. The problem is already all around them; Missing kids, formulas, Metas who aren't metas and you saw that picture. Sedgwells hooks are already strangling and we don't know what's going on with Hasani at-" _

_ "Hani isn't involved. You've let your feelings about-" _

_ "My feelings? You told me on the plane to be careful and not let my feelings drag me to do something reckless. You let your feelings lead you head long and you did god knows' what to that girls' brain, all while telling me to keep a low profile." _

_ Kelly can't really argue with that as it's technically true so she can only sit for a moment obsorbing the statement rethinking everything from last night. _

_ "She needed help and I just-" Kelly finally started trying to explain, her voice quieter now that she's thinking  _

_ "You just needed to help somehow."  _

_ "Yeah. I guess, I just-" _

_ "I get it. I do." Iris tells her. " But now if we want to help, we need to talk to Jeff." _

_ "Iris…" _

_ "I already called him earlier. I'm going. " _

_ Kelly sighs. She can't really stop this now that things are in motion. _

To be continued in - Friend in need ( no good deed)


	6. A Friend in need ( No good deed)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> an intense argument leave both Kelly and Iris hurting and their friendship on confusing ground after finding Hasani dead. Meanwhile Lena and Lynn begin to unravel the mystery of the missing kids more. Our story catches back up to the start as Kelly finds her life hanging in the balance as we ger to the attack that kicked off our flashback adventure and Kelly saves Iris from a deadly emotional choice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are closing out Kellys half of Friend in need and getting some much need information...  
> Iris part coming next.

_ ( _ **_2:45, in front of the Pierce house)_ **

_ Kelly fidgeted. She did mean to but as they stood on the porch of this lovely looking suburban home, her complete uncertainty swallowed her up again. Iris was next to looking far more confident about the conversation they were about to have inside. _

_ "Relax." _

_ "This is going to-" _

_ Iris rang the doorbell for a third time and finally a tall man with dark skin and warm dark brown eyes answered the door. He was wearing simple blue slacks and white button up with the sleeves rolled up, in a way that reminded her of Hasani. He didn't look surprised to see them at all.  _

_ "Hey." He nodded at Iris and stepped back inviting them into the house.  _

_ A young woman who could not have been more than 16, was coming down the stairs.  _

_ "Dad?" _

_ "Jennifer, uhm...these are some old friends of mine. This is Iris and this is...uhm Kelly." _

_ Jen nodded at that,seeming a tiny bit confused as she looked between Kelly and Iris. _

_ "Maybe this is a bad time?" Kelly asked, wondering if this conversation should happen right now. _

_ Jeff looked over at Jennifer for a moment as though weighing some options. _

_ "Its okay," He decided before leading them to sit down in the den. _

_ . . . . _

**_(Authors Notes: The part with Kelly and Iris talking to Jeff is already in 'My sisters Keeper' and it's from Jennifer's PoV. If you've read it then you already know and I am gonna jump past it cause it's not entirely relevant to the rest of the plot.)_ **

_ . . . . _

**_(430pm in front of the Wellness center)_ **

_ Kelly pulled into a parking spot near the front and got out of the car, not really focused. She had dropped Iris off in front of the hotel, telling her she needed to run by the Wellness center and take care of some evaluations.  _

_ As she entered the building everything felt calmer and quieter than it had over the past few days and the woman at the front barely glanced at her as she headed up towards the elevator. Truth be told, that woman seemed like a robot, and she honestly Kelly couldn't recall seeing her move or react much over the past few days.  _

_ She was still replaying the conversation at the Pierce house and feeling weirdly conflicted in ways that just hurt inside, or would if she had time to stop and process as she headed towards Hasanis' office. _

_ . . . . _

**_(4:45pm, Hisanis' office)_ **

_ Hasani was sitting at his desk, reviewing some papers, when she walked through the doors. Without any preamble or questions whatsoever he looked up as she walked in and simply stated, " It appears Miss Choi has regained consciousness and her scans are looking well. The residual neural trauma from the last print outs is gone more or less." He seemed almost like he was expecting a response from her.  _

_ "Hani…" she asked, " feeling a weight settling on her as she looked at him, " did you ever find out anything about that new center they were transferring some of the kids to?" _

_ "Keke...please don't ask…just like I'm not gonna ask what you did to wake Miss Choi." He told her, making it very clear that he knew she had done something.  _

_ "Hasani…" _

_ "Keke, do you trust me?" _

_ "Of course I do. You're family." _

_ He gestured for her to sit down, and Kelly took the seat directly across from him. _

_ "How's Iris' research coming for her article for the news report coming along? " he asked and it felt like a slap as she had to piece together an assortment of questions now about what he knew and how and- _

_ "Iris is-" _

_ "A reporter. And also a friend who cares about protecting you from what I've seen." _

_ "Hani, its not-" _

_ "Keke it's okay." _

_ "She thought you...or rather something-" _

_ "Keke stop. You told me you trust me. Trust Iris too." _

_ Kelly isn't even sure he realizes how torn in two she feels by that very idea. _

_ "I didn't look into things with the transfers. He tells her, circling the conversation back around. " I- I didn't need to. I know where- I know what's going on already?" He admits.  _

_ Kelly isn't sure how to take this quite yet. _

_ "Keke I'm so sorry. I-I took advantage...but I didn't have a choice..." Hasanis voice is practically a whisper, " I put her in your path, knowing you would-" he stands up out of his chair as he says this moving around the desk, before settling on his knees in front of her chair. " I'm not sure what's going to happen now." _

_ Kelly leaned forwards to hug him. The position he was in, leading to his head resting on her chest for a moment as she emotionally absolved him of everything even if she wasn't 100% sure what that was. As they hugged, she felt him slipping something into her pocket; a note with something wrapped up in it. "For later at home," he whispered to her.  _

_ "Hani, I know you. Whatever is going on, your heart's in the right place." _

_ "Yours is too Keke." He told her as he pulled back from the hug and stood up. "Selik is gonna be excited to see you and the new house." _

_ The sudden shift in subject threw her momentarily, before there was a knock at the door and a different woman than the woman she had seen talking to Hani a few days ago in the hall, popped in without even waiting. _

_ "Dr Jonson? " She noticed Kelly in the office, but seemed to pay her no mind. "The security camera feed for your floor went out, so they asked me to check really quickly. Mr Vincent is also here for your meeting. He'll be by soon to check in your progress." _

_ Hasanis' face held an unreadable expression and he didn't seem happy at all. "Keke, you should go. Don't forget, movies later okay. " He told Kelly as he looked between her and the woman at the door. Kelly nodded, standing and carefully moving past the other woman by the door. Something was off. _

_ . . . . _

**_(In front of the wellness Center 5:45)_ **

_ Kelly was frantic and feeling a little urgent as she headed towards her car. Every part of her brain knew something was going on. That was obvious. Hasani was right. She did trust Iris. Though very new, their friendship had literally been baptisized in the fires set in the conference halls. Hasani had made it so simple for her. Trust Iris. Hasani was clearly not an enemy though and her mind was telling her in absolute certainty that he was the victim in all this. _

_ She got inside the car, sitting down and immediately locking the doors. Pulling out the note Hasani gave her, she found that it contained an address written down for a house in Freeland and a flash drive and small key rolled up in the paper. She folded it back up, quickly shoving it back in her pocket. _

_ TAP TAP TAP _

_ The knock on her window annoyed her, nearly scaring her as she looked up to see Lena standing right outside her car with a woman she recognized to be Lynn Pierce right next to her. She rolled down the window. _

_ "Hey Kelly. Iris made a few calls." Lena told her straight to the point. _

_ "Lena, I can-" _

_ "It's not even the biggest concern right now." _

_ Lena turned to Lynn. " We have a problem. A big one." _

_ "Yeah. We're-" _

_ "This is more than just metas and theft and fire." Lynn said quietly revealing she knew a lot." _

_ Kelly unlocked the doors motioning for them to get inside. Lena slid into the passengers' seat next to Kelly, while Lynn climbed on right behind Lynn in the back seat. _

_ "Iris has been doing some checking and research and looking at files she said she 'borrowed' from the lad." Lena explained.  _

_ Based on what I can tell, they've been monitoring ambient energy to find a way to use these kids as batteries basically for something. So the temporary meta powers increase the bodys' energy output for that purpose and allow them to create temporary living weapons." _

_ "But if it's just temporary, then-" _

_ "They can extend it if they can stop the mental overload that accompanies these powers." Lynn explained, as the creator of the formula she had done multiple layers of new study on how it effects the brain.  _

_ Kelly could of slapped herself. No time to worry now though.  _

_ "We need to-" _

_ "We need to talk to Jeff and the girls now." Lynn declared like it was the most obvious thing. _

_ "This is gonna be complicated to-" _

_ Lena pulled a device with a green glow out of her bag. "We're just gonna show him everything, absolutely everything and make it simple." _

_ Kelly looked over at the device on Lenas hands. " Jonn, Brainy and Cisco, she explained as simply as possible. " _

_ "I scanned it and it's harmless and virtually passive." Lynn injected. " We need everyone ready." _

_ Kelly nodded, mentally preparing to show back up and drop even more in the Pierce families lap even though it seemed they were used to such things. _

_ . . . . _

**_(Authors' notes: The part where Lena Lynn and Kelly go back to the Pierce house is actually already in 'My Sisters Keeper, and it's all from Jennifers' POV. I don't feel the need to rehash it here since it's obvious what happened. )_ **

_ . . . . _

**_( Heading towards Wellness Center 745am)_ **

_ Kelly was probably driving more irrationally than she ever normally would. Hasani had texted her "not to forget movie night" last night around 9pm She hadn't seen anyone at the address he gave her when she went by. The drive to the house had taken quite a while.Her worry and confliction had made for poor sleep and at this point she was sure she needed to check.  _

_ 'Sneaking out' was a ridiculous thought as an adult but she had more or less been doing just that. Everyone had still been on edge in the wake of the conversation at the Pierce house. Iris caught her heading towards the door but instead of even bothering to try stopping her right then, she had thrown herself headlong into insisting on coming with her and in a weird way, she appreciated the gesture right then. _

**_( 840 am at the Wellness Center inside Hasanis' office)_ **

_ Kelly could feel herself screaming as Hasanis body fell out of the chair. The blood stain on his shirt spread as his body hit the floor. _

_ "Keke…" she heard the sprained words escaping his mouth as blood ran down one side, " please...Selik…" His eyes closing as he faded away. _

_ "Hani…no…wait…" _

_ She couldn't breathe. It felt like she was being strangled. She was hit with devastating flashes to seeing James in that hospital bed after he had been shot. This was equally, if not more paralyzing given her proximity at the moment. She cradled his head carefully, part of her praying for a miracle and knowing none would arrive in time. _

_ "Hani...Hani…" _

_ She could hear Iris nearby on the phone calling for help already. The coppery smell of blood and the smell of black coffee still warm on Hasanis desk were burning into her memory as her clothes were messed with the stain of Hasani blood. Her own body was chilling with a cold that seem ro start at her feet and work its way up her back; a blood twisting mix of grief and surprising anger. _

_ After a few moments she could hear help coming, sirens in the distance through the open window and the sounds of people moving down the hall. Iris knelt down next to her on the floor, carefully wrapping one arm around her to try to move her back. Like some force beyond her control, had possessed her body and shredded her control, she felt her anguish explode at the other woman.  _

_ "Don't touch me! Get away from me!" _

_ "Kelly…"Iris' voice is calm, soft, clearly trying to soothe her and she simply can't be soothed right then. _

_ "No." _

_ "Kelly we need to move. Help will be here soon. You're-" _

_ "You spent all this time suspecting him! My- Hani…" _

_ "Kelly, listen to me-" _

_ "No. You only came here to interrogate him. Stop it!" Kelly can feel herself being irrational but the spinning swirl of emotions hitting her right now isn't allowing for any kind of calm or reasonableness. _

_ Iris looks like she's been punched in the gut. " I'm so- so sorry." She tells Kelly and some part of Kelly in that moment really does believe that in all the ways that it's clearly ment. _

_ "I told you- You were wrong! I never should of-" _

_ "Kelly listen, we have to-" Iris moves to guide her back again. _

_ "No! Stop!" Everything is too much right now. She feels a bit shaky and unsteady. "Shut up! I-I can't even trust you." _

_ Iris backs away, giving her space,"You can trust me, you're just in sh-" _

_ "You didn't even know Hani! You don't know me." Kellys' voice is practically a whisper as she is processing this. _

_ "Kelly, I was just try-" Iris sounds like she's trying to explain. _

_ "You've done enough!" Her tone makes it come out more like 'this is all your fault' and Iris visibly flinched, stepping back as Kelly stands. _

_ The muted heartbreak on Iris' face, momentarily cuts through the swirl or anguish Kelly is feeling and some part of her she can't touch right now knows, that's not what she meant. _

_ The sound of multiple footsteps at the door and people coming in ends the back and forth between them. The sirens outside are much closer now and there's really no way to un-say everything now. _

_ . . . . _

**_(2pm the next day, at hotel in Kellys room)_ **

_ Kelly stared blankly out into the room. She had spent hours yesterday speaking to the police. Everything was such a whirlwind that she couldn't really think. Her head hurt as did her throat. Alex had brought her back to the hotel and held her for hours before she had finally been able to sleep. Iris hadn't come by and honestly Kelly couldn't blame her. She had seen Barry down in the lobby off the hotel when she'd gotten back there and part of her wanted to ask How or when he'd gotten there but it seemed like a ridiculous question to ask someone who could literally run at faster than light speeds, and in conjuction with everything else happening, it simply wasn't important.  _

_ HANI! Hani was dead! How would she even tell James? What was she gonna- Selik? God Selik? Where was he? The thought would leave her. Selik, the address, and that flashdrive she had put in her bag unable to get much done or discuss it, in the wake of everything else. _

_ Alex was off talking to Kara and Lena and she couldn't talk to Iris right now. Maybe she could do something though before she completely sank down as she lay there. _

_ She got up, really willing herself out of bed more than anything,  _

_ She threw on a white button up blouse and some jeans after a quick shower, grabbing keys and the flash drive and note. As she left Alex a message, saying, 'I'm okay. With a friend' which was marginally true. The thought crossed her mind to try to go and get Iris but memories of yesterday gave her pause and she rethought that. She headed out the door and down the stairs towards the parking lot checking the time at around 3:30 now and wondering why it felt as if she was losing time. _

_ . . . . _

**_(7pm, at 1753 Worcester Avenue in Freeland)_ **

_ Kelly pulled up in front of a nice two story grey and white home with 2 garages. It actually looked like some place she might have imagined Hani and Selik buying too. It was pretty far from the hotel and hospital, nearly an hour away and a rather spacious yard. There were too many houses around and it felt weirdly secluded. _

_ She stepped out if the car, looking around as she walked up to the door, Hanis last few words playing on a loop still in her brain as they had been off and on as she drove, meandering really for the past few hours, dragging out the drive in some ways, to process her own fear of actually going. _

_ Opening the door revealed a tasteful set up. There was a staircase to the right, leading up stairs and a den right ahead, connected to a kitchen. Both the den and kitchen seemed bare and unused, the couches inside were not anything like the plush bluish recliner types she knew Selik enjoyed. It kinda looked like someone else's house. The door to the garage revealed it to be nearly empty. Seliks' car wasn't there and aside from a few shelves on the wall, it was totally barren. _

_ As she headed up the stairs she walked into a nearly empty living room. It contained a few bean bag chairs in the corner. A door straight ahead, led to a room. It contained only a desk in the corner. With a laptop sitting on it. It was a rather larger sized room given how empty it was. The desk faced a window and hanging on the wall was one single picture of Hasanis and Selik. She recognized it cause she had taken it herself. Hasani was smiling brightly as Selik kissed his cheek in the picture. They were standing in front of Kellys' old blue Pontiac she'd driven before. It was from their dating Anniversary. Seeing it now was just bittersweet and hurt a little. Actually it hurt a lot but she couldn't let herself sink like that right this second. _

_ She sat down at the chair by the desk and turned on the laptop. The blank blue screen and password box popped up. Of course, there was a password box. _

_ She sat thinking for a while, trying to guesstimate everything from Seliks full name to Hasanis' grandmothers' birthday. Finally the obvious hit her in the face as she typed in ' Dynamic Duo ' and watched everything unlock allowing her access. Pulling out the flashdrive, she plugged it in opening the file. A video popped up.  _

_ "Keke...if you're watching this, then I'm already gone and no one has found Selik yet. There's so much to tell you. So much that needs to be said." Hasani video recording spoke. "I never wanted you to be hurt. I had no choice Ke. They have Selik. They took those kids too. Listen closely cause there's a lot of information I need to give you." _

_ On the side of the screen coordinates and data about a device, some kinda device that looked like it could create a targeted wormhole, popped up, inadvertently confirming their ideas about what the kids were being used for and filling in missing pieces. _

_ Kelly paused the recording for a moment, looking at the information before pulling up a secure email and shooting it to Lena. Hasani was gonna save the day somehow, even if he was...gone. She resumed the video. _

_ Her phone buzzed with a text, and she checked to see multiple missed text messages all asking where she was. She hadn't even noticed. Alex had left multiple voice messages and there was a few from Lena and one from Iris. She doesn't answer or check any of them though; a part of her is illogically afraid of what Iris message might say and she can't handle burdening Alex right now. The talk with Lena about her borrowing the device from L-Corp is sure to be a Boulder and she's not in the head space for that either. She sends a vague group text basically saying "she's fine." A moment later Lena sends a text basically saying, " oh my god. Where did you find this information? " and she can only reply back with "Hani always comes through." Before she sets her phone down and turns back on Hani recording. _

_ . . . . _

**_( 11:25pm, Worcester Avenue, in Freeland)_ **

_ Kelly was just closing out all the files Hasani had left. Selik...of course and Hani, he had no choice. Before she could even move to turn around, a chain was around her neck out of seemingly nowhere, pulling and strangling her… _

_ . . . . _

**_(Present)_ **

Kelly still felt the pain in her neck from nearly being choked. The only reprieve she had was that vile poison of what had been in her system, being gone and she figured her body should be unconscious though a part of her was afraid of her own memories of the past few days.

TWAACK!! 

"Aghhklkfx!!"

It definitely sounded like someone was gagging and she could clearly hear Iris' voice nearby now. Perhaps it was foolishness that made her roll herself off the bed, as best she could and move towards where she heard her  _ friends'  _ voice though she wasn't sure after everything Iris would be ready to use that word again when Kelly hadn't cleared the air. 

There was a fight happening based on the noise. She got closer, crawling along the floor to find the jackass guy who tried to kill her, on his back on the floor. Blood was running out of his nose, which seemed to have been punched many more times. Iris had a bat turned sideways, pressed into his through. She was choking him to death. She seemed shakey from what Kelly could tell. It was like she didn't quite know on some level that she was Killing him.

"Iris?" She called the other womans' name. She didn't have the physical energy to stop her at the moment.

Iris looked up at Kelly seeming strained and like she was holding back a flood of emotions. " This is him!"

"Iris...listen-"

"No! This is the guy from the recordings,plus we know he already tried to kill us. He's Vincent! It's him." 

"Iris, you're hurting. You have to-"

"I shouldn't have let him get the chance to hurt you like this. And he...Barry..." Iris' voice is a whisper and full of self recrimination. Part of Kelly knows that is her fault for putting that there. Iris isn't stopping. It almost feels like she can't stop herself. " Kelly…"

She could practically see the internal debate warring behind Iris' eyes as she looked back at her. Iris would do the right thing though. Something inside her knew that. The pain from moving and the knife wound was spreading though and she hoped Iris came to herself.

"Iris . I'm your friend. I- you don't have to do this. Its not- " 

To be continued in - A Friend in need (Supicious minds)


	7. A Friend in need ( Supicious minds)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> we get a walked through the events in Freeland from Iris PoV and her behavior is explained through a lens that will leave you all with questions.
> 
> TW: in this section for some descriptions of torture to an original Character.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Friend in need is all just one chapter flowing right along.

( Iris)

Some part of her knew Kelly was right. She wanted to be okay. The events of the past week had her marinated and stewed in a simmering of anger and grief and fear that was all coming together now. She had just been trying to protect Barry and Kelly and still they both got hurt.

. . . .

**_Authors' notes:I don't want to spoil the coming section for you guys but I wanted to give a heads up. TW for...its hard to explain without spoiling but Vincent violates Iris space and I think technically what he does, borders on sexual assault territory, dispite him not touching her at this point in time. I wanted to give you the warning before you read this part. TW for Vincent being a creepy stalker as well. I want you guys reading to just be prepared._ **

**** _. . . ._

**_( 2 days before Iris went to Freeland with Kelly, At Central Citizen headquarters)_ **

_Iris looked around the room feeling uneasy. It was hard to see at first but everything in the office had been moved a few feet or a few inches, just enough to throw her off. Her skin felt like it was crawling._

_There was a white paper coffee cup on her desk, with a lid on it, and she knew that wasn't hers. Next to the cup was a tape recorder with a note instructing her to listen.Probably against her better judgements, she pressed play._

_"Uhm… Miss West...I came to pay you a visit but it seems you were out. The chair at your desk is quite comfortable and whatever fragrance it is that you wear is surprisingly delightful. "_

_The mans' voice then sounds like he's moaning. " oh yes."_

_Iris can hear papers crinkled and things being moved in the background and the lude groans and moans continue._

_"You've been quite a pain for my employer and me. You and your new pest...what was her name oh yes, Miss Olsen...you've already hurt one of the others. I may come deal with her soon too."_

_There's more moaning and panting and on the recording, the sound of clothes moving and talking in the background._

_"Just think, if I can move everything in your office like this, then I can pay a visit to you and your husband in his zippy red suit at home._

_"Mr Vincent…" a quiet voice that sounds like an echo of this mans' voice, speaks before the man identified as Vincent apparently silences him._

_There's more noise and clothes rustling as he clearly is masturbating._

_The loud grunt as he finishes as the following wet noise as starkly unsettling over the recording Iris is listening to._

_"Keep in mind what I said Miss west."_

_The recording cuts out after that._

_Iris stomach twisted in knots. She can't breathe for a moment and a part of her wants to scream at how violated she feels even without being touched. She looks at her desk and chair, mentally planning to burn that chair now._

_RING RING_

_Her phone ringing startles her out of her spiral and she answers._

_"Hey. Is everything okay?" Barry asked. He'd been overly cautious since the conference incident. It was sweet; soft and the touch of chivalry laty was sexy but her patience was a bit frazzle and making him worry more wasn't gonna help._

_"It's fine. I told you, I'm gonna take care of everything at the office."_

_"Okay. I'm just checking. I love you."_

_"Love you more." She told him. " I'll be home soon. I was just looking into some leads."_

_" okay."_

_After hanging up she turned to the cup on the desk. Again, against her better judgements she removed the lid and what her instincts had been telling her proved correct as it clearly contained bodily fluid from Vincents' activities. Perhaps she would burn this couch too._

_. . . ._

**_(Present)_ **

Iris pulled the bat away from Vincents' throat, moving to wear Kelly was sitting as she noticed how much Kelly seemed to be bleeding again as the patch Anissa and Alex had done, tore a bit.

"Hey, don't- don't move. Kelly…" Iris tore a strip from her own jacket and pressed it to Kellys' stab wound.

She still felt shaky still as she watched Kelly for any more signs of distress. 

"It's okay." Kelly tells her. " Thanks for-"

"I'm sorry...I'm so sorry." Iris can feel herself on the verge of tears at that moment, the only thing stopping her is the sliver of stubbornness. "This is not how I wanted this trip to go."

She can feel Kelly breathe out a laugh for a second. 

"Iris I- you- Hani, I just-"

"Just breathe right now okay."

. . . .

**_(3 hours after the creepy as recording from Vincent and the violation of Iris office)_ **

_Barry had always been able to read her like a book. She hadn't even realized how shakey she still was as she came through the door with the large Italian meat lovers pizza and set it down, but he could see it written on her face and apparently felt the slight tremors in her body as he had hugged her and kissed her._

_"Hey. What's wrong? he asked as he guided her to the couch._

_"Nothing." She lied. She didn't mean to but she didn't wanna talk about it. She was embarrassed to even be letting this bother her when she had dealt with arguably far worse over the past 7 years._

_"Iris...I could feel you shaking. That's not nothing." Barrys' concern and attention since the conference attack had been in overtime. He seemed to want nothing more than to keep her safe. He was clearly waiting for her response._

_She didn't want to talk about it though. She just wanted to not have to think about it at all. She wanted Barry to chase the irrational fear from her body. " Its just been a long day. I missed you."_

_"I love you." Barry assured her, his eyes bright and earnest and sincere. " Iris please…"_

_"Barry. I just need you here with me. I promise everything okay." She told him as she pulled him closer to kiss him again._

_"Iris…_

_"Just stay with me." She instructed as he kissed her back, with growing intensity clearly ready to follow where she led._

_She stood up from the couch, the pizza completely the farthest thing from her mind as she pulled Barry up leading him to the bedroom._

_As her back hit the bed and she pulled her dark purple silk blouse off, Barrys' lips began working their way down from her mouth towards her neck. His zeal in his desire to please her the way she needs is undeniable. Barry often says that she is his lightning rod. He is definitely her North star; always guiding her back to herself. She felt her body practically being violated when she listened to the recording earlier and only Barrys' touch is going to suck the venom of that feeling away, despite her not having told him anything._

_Barry unbutton her pants pulling them off. So she was only in a black lace bra with matching panties. She moved further up on the bed as he stood up removing his shirt and jeans before he crawled back onto the bed with her._

_"Iris…" He's on top of her, kissing her again, trying to flood her soul with comfort. It's instinctive._

_Barry hands work to unlatch the triple hook to her bra, his lips still kissing and nipping at her neck. He tosses the bra aside, working his way down to tease her breast; doing that low gentle vibration thing with his tongue that he always knows,turns her brain into mush as he worked over her nipples. She's arching and begging, "Barry...gods please…"_

_He slides her panties down her body, pulling them off and finally leaving her naked to his gaze. His eyes are a wildfire; a burning mix of lust and worry as he looks at her. If anything can drive the memory of listening to that disturbing recording that made her feel dirty and abused in ways she can't quite articulate, it has got to be Barry looking at her like she is a goddess who fell into his bed._

_"Just let me take care of you," he requested. It's a soft command; an assurance that he's got her and she can let go._

_He continues moving down her body, slowly, seeming to want to kiss every inch of her on his way. Her right hand reaches up to stroke through his hair, not pressing or moving, wanting to let him drag this out, but needing to touch him more. It was deliciously decadent._

_His hand stroke up her thighs to tease her center, as he press two fingers inside, just a little...soft, slow, testing the readiness of her body, sends spark of pleasure racing through her, tingling up her spine as she arches and moves, instinctively trying to draw him closer._

_"So wet already…" Barry whispers, and his voice is pure sin._

_"Barry…" Iris can hear the high breathy, wanton quality to her own voice, urging Barry on._

_"I know what you need."_

_CRASH!!!_

_The loud sound of something hitting the floor in the living room shatters the spell of their lustful entanglement._

_"Barry! Iris! Uhm sorry about that vase…" Cisco voice calls out._

_Iris could literally have screamed_

_She can practically feel the stress from earlier re-obsorbed back into her body._

_A moment later Ciscos' voice is right outside the door._

_"You guys...wake up."_

_Not for the first time, as much as she loves her friends, she wonders why everyone is always popping in on them. God sakes!!!_

_She can practically feel herself shaking with muted stress._

_"Just breathe right now okay?" Barry tells her, kissing the inside of her thigh; a promise for later._

_. . . ._

**_(Present)_ **

"This is not how this was supposed to work. " Iris told Kelly. 

She was wondering what was taking so long with that damn portal thing the others were supposed to have taken care of. Granted, it had only been about 20 minutes, but it felt like it had been forever. It occured to her, as she watched Kelly who seemed to be hovering in and out of consciousness again, that if this was the end result of her investigation, then maybe Kelly was right not to trust her. And right now all she could think of was Kellys' advice on the plane ride over. 

. . . .

**_( Authors' notes: This is The plane scene we skipped during Kellys' PoV, cause it actually more meaningful plot wise from Iris PoV )_ **

**_( Plane ride to Freeland.)_ **

_Iris looked around the expensive plane Kelly had them on. It was all velvet and leather, and Private. It had about 20 seats total all spaced out in groups of 2 and they had a mini kitchen attended by a single cook who didn't seem inclined to interact, aside from bringing glasses of Savioagn blanc and fruit. The flight was simple and smooth. The fact that Kelly had told her this was the "small" private L-corp plane was almost amusing. More and more Oris got the feeling that on some things Lena would just haphazardly spend money line she was throwing candy despite seeming otherwise quite business savvy financially otherwise. She wasn't gonna complain though since it meant they didn't have to deal with crowds of strangers on a plane._

_Iris wouldn't say that she was one to drink a lot usually but at this point she was 3 and a half glasses of wine into the ride. And maybe it was just easier to talk to Kelly in some ways. Part of her both less as and more self concious and she found herself blurting out the office incident while also trying to downplay it._

_"It was repulsive. I listened to the whole thing and part of me was stupidly worried that guy was gonna jump out at me."_

_Kelly looked at her for a moment. She almost thought the other woman was analyzing her, even though she was sure that Kelly wasn't. " It's not stupid, you know." Kelly told her. "Someone practically violated your space...not even practically. It was just full on violation."_

_"I shouldn't be letting it bother me." Iris sighed as she sipped some more of her wine, reclining back a bit._

_Kelly leaned forwards, offering her some of the sponge cakes and strawberries. "What did Barry say?"_

_Iris looked away, not really wanting to admit that she hadn't talked about it with him. "It wasn't really important. It could of just been a random pervert...or it could…"_

_"Or it could be connected to the stuff that happened at the conference. " Kelly rightfully pointed out._

_"Everything feels like it might be connected to that. I mean we're on a plane, just so happening to be headed to Freeland when we know Sedgwell is involved in something there."_

_"That's different. The reason we're going had nothing to do with Sedgwell."_

_"Kelly…"_

_"Which is why literally no contact and minimal interference is key. I don't wanna drag Hani into this while I'm helping him out. And you are changing the subject anyways "_

_"Unless he's already involved."_

_"Iris…"_

_"You don't think that this favor he called for is a little suspicious given the timing?"_

_"I would trust Hani with my life. It's been a few yours but he's still my Hani. Besides, you're letting yourself get thrown into hyper suspicion mode before we've even landed." Kelly paused, seeming to consider her next words carefully. "Iris, maybe it would help if you can admit how much the break in bothered you, so you don't have to see the boogie man around every corner. "_

_Everything Kelly was saying made sense, Iris supposed. "I'm not saying it didn't bother me, I'm saying… I'm just focused."_

_Kelly handed her a small plate of grilled chicken strips from the food tray as Iris sat her wine glass down._

_"Iris. Be careful. I lost count of how many times my brother ran headlong into danger based on his feelings. I don't want you getting hurt." There was a sobering sincerity to everything Kelly was saying._

_"Feelings mutual."_

_"So," Kelly smiled, " Low profile and caution." There was a pause. " I think you'd be less stressed if you talked to Barry-"_

_"It's the lowest thing on the danger totem pole." She looked at Kelly, not wanting to fully relay all the threats the pervert on the phone had made. "Tell me about Hasani." She shifted the subject away from herself._

_Kellys' expression told her that she was fully aware of Iris' need to simply shift subject and Iris found herself glad Kelly was willing to let her do it now._

_"Hasani and I have known each other since we were kids. He's my baby brother."_

_Obviously Iris' clocked that Kelly didn't literally mean that Hasani was her brother. The emotional tie had to be pretty intense for Kelly to view this man that way though._

_"We did elementary, middle school and most of high school together. He actually escorted me to junior prom." Kelly reaches into her bag, pulling out a small size, mini photo album and pulling flipping to a picture. There is a picture of Kelly, looking no more than 16, in a beautiful soft lavender gown. Her hair is tied back, and a little curly. Next to her is a brown skinned, slinder, young man in a black suit, that seems a little big but still looks charming. Kelly appears to be laughing at something he said. The photo seems old and a bit worn but the obvious joy Still burns through._

_"Cute." Iris comments, admiring the photo._

_"We were both dateless and truth be told I hadn't even planned to go. Then Hani popped up with tickets and insisted that as the 'dynamic duo' we had to show up." Kelly stared off, smiling fondly. "You know, when I got back from my tour overseas...I was...I really wasn't in a good place."_

_Iris nodded remembering what Kelly had told her about losing her ex._

_"Hasani...he basically saved my life. I was...I was sinking for a while to be honest. He brought me into he, and his fiancé Seliks' home. He's absolutely the best man."_

_Everything about what Kelly said, painted this remarkable picture of Hasani. Part of Iris was weary though. Maybe she was being overly suspicious. Maybe the break in and that recording had her more edgy than normal. Kellys' nostalgia filter seemed to be in overdrive though, so Iris was gonna have to be the 'bad cop' she supposed._

_"I totally understand that. All I'm saying is, sometimes we care about people to the point where we can't see the big picture. I just wanna make sure we both make it through this unshaved._

_Kelly looked at her like, she was working out how to respond. There was the tiniest flicker of doubt in her eyes. Iris hadn't really meant to do that exactly._

_The speaker on the plane turned on._

_"We will be landing soon. If you look out your window you can get an excellent view right now. Welcome to Freeland, Georgia land. About 15- 20 minutes to land."_

_The speaker turned over._

_'Here we go' Iris thought to herself. She looked over at Kelly who still seemed to be quietly thinking._

_. . . ._

**_( After Meeting Hasani at the Wellness Center)_ **

_Iris sat in the back of the taxi as it rolled along the road. She had used the spare key to get her bags out of the trunk of the rental car. Driving the rental car itself had never crossed her mind anyway, as Kelly was actually the one who had rented it and in any event she was too focused on going over that meeting in her head to actually have focused on driving._

_Her intuition was screaming at her. Hasani had been perfectly charming and polite and intelligent but she was doing math in her head and maybe it was math based on her already burning suspicion but something was definitely up. Hasani had seemed mildly put off by her questions and she didn't think Kelly had noticed even._

_As the taxi pulled up in front of the hotel and stopped, she politely tipped the driver an extra 20 dollars, and pulled her suitcase out behind her. It was a large and gorgeously set building, lit against the darkening sky of Freeland. The building had at least 16 floors from what she could remember and the entrance was spacious and large; the 3 sets of entrance doors, separated from 3 sets of exit doors._

_It was nice, air-conditioned but not overly chilled inside. There seemed to be an overarching color theme of brown red and white that was both simple and tasteful._

_The woman at the front desk was watching her, she could tell. She was young or youngish. She looked barely 21; brown eyes and thick curly hair parted in the side. Her warm mahogany skin glowed in the light pouring down from overhead. 'Pretty,' Iris thought to herself l, in that passive general way that black women tend to notice who other black women are pretty. Iris headed over to the desk._

_"Hello, Welcome to the Hiatt hotel" The woman greeted her. The name tag she wore had the name 'Trina' on it._

_"Hi. I'm just checking in. I have reservations. Should be under West-Allen."_

_Trina checked the computer for a minute, pulling up the reservation. " Here we go. Iris right?"_

_Iris just smiled and nodded._

_"Alrighty." Trina pulled out two key cards. "So, you've got your key and a spare, " she handed Iris some brochures, "and these are some maps and marks for restaurants in the area. The Hiatt serves breakfast every morning from 6 am until 945am. And we have complementary happy hour for all guest at the Captains booth near the pool from 6pm until 11pm."_

_"Sounds good."_

_Trina smiled, taking a breath after having rambled out all that information._

_"They require us to inform all the hotel guest of that. Sorry if that came out a little rambled."_

_"No problem. It's fine. "_

_" So you're in room number 1016. Do you need help up with-"_

_"Oh no I got it." Iris assured her before heading for the elevator._

_The hotel seemed surprisingly less busy than Iris had expected, though given the time, that complimentary happy hour was probably drawing alot of people to the poll area away from the front. At least once, while she was her, she needed to pop down there, and maybe stop being so suspicious for a moment._

_. . . ._

**_(The next day, after breakfast with Kelly)_ **

_Iris was staring at an old newspaper headline and article about the Wellness Center. Sedgwells' smudge face made her sick as she read the article that read more like a paid advertisement than a substantial review._

_She was standing in line for a coffee 'pick me up' at around 11:45. She hadnt had a cup in days, with the repulsive memory of the recording and the coffee cup with that guys "fluids" turning her stomach leaving her turned off by any coffee cups. A weird unexplainable paranoia had hit her._

_An older caramel toned black woman was standing behind her in line, whispering to her friend, another shorter older woman. She seemed to have seen Iris paper._

_" I'm telling you Thaddie, it's not sittin' right with my spirit. That white man has done-"_

_"Shh...Eleanor. Hush before you draw attention."_

_"I don't care if black Jesus had been fooled by-" The woman named Eleanor continues._

_Iris doesn't mean to easedrop. She turns a little looking over her shoulder._

_"Don't min' her love. She's cranky."_

_"It's no problem at all. Can't say I disagree."_

_"See?" Eleanor tells Thaddie. "Everyone know 'dat man is the white devil."_

_"You mean Sedgwell right? Iris presses for information gently, trying to keep a low profile. " That wellness center sure went up fast."_

_"We try not to talk about it too much." Thaddie commented._

_"You know they doing something to them kids. It just don't sit right in my spirit."_

_Iris nodded. Her own, perhaps suspicious energy in overdrive. "Believe me, I'm definitely looking into this."_

_"You a reporter love'? " Eleanor asked her._

_"Something like that. Yes."_

_Finally the barista called her up after having to complete what looked to be some ridiculously irriitating over specific coffee order for the rude person in front of Iris. She made a mental note to leave a tip._

_"Well, make sure to give him hell." Eleanor told her._

_Iris almost instantly decided that she liked these two. Iris pulled a card out of her purse and handed it to Eleanor, nodding as she stepped forwards and turned around to place her order._

_. . . ._

**_(About 70 minutes before the intruder alarm goes off)_ **

**_(I hate interrupting story flow but, TW: For description of this OC character being tortured. Trigger warning for some transphobic behaviour from the doctor and conversion rhetoric. No spoilers but Iris is about to watch a video)_ **

_Okay, she was breaking into this file room on the same floor as lab three. She hadn't meant to. The need for an answer to the twisted suspicious things happening here had probably overrun her good judgement more than it should have._

_The lady at the front door counter hadn't even flinched or blinked much when Iris casually walked in, used Hasani and Kellys names to ease pass and then slipped off in the direction of the file rooms using the directory. It was really just a process of eliminating the wrong rooms until she found the right one. A trick Cisco had taught her, with a cellphone, a piece of metal and a few drops of water, allowed her to momentarily short out the electric lock and slip into the room. She was just gonna check on a few things._

_. . . ._

_She walked up to a door inside the room label 'Project Infinity' and almost had to shake her head at the near stupid arrogance of labeling secret projects like this. This door didn't even have a lock._

_She opened it and it was...a closet. There was a desk, chair and a computer inside, left on a screen that was blank except for 2 options; Playback or record. Perhaps against her better judgement, she stepped forward. There were some files on the desk and pictures of at least 2 dozen kids taped to the wall. She pressed the playback button._

_A video popped up. There was a girl, with her hands chained to a table, sitting inside of what Iris could only describe as a cage She could hear a calm, almost detatched sounding voice; a woman's voice narrating over the video._

_"We are at day 13 and Andreys' gifts are proving quite interesting. He suffers from delusions and his other selves seem to manifest as projects of this delusional idea he has that he is Tasha."_

_Andrey or Tasha turned, looking at the camera. The woman narrating everything stepped towards the cage. The camera moved with her and as they got closer it became clear that the kid had some kind of collar on. There was a green light. The woman, whose back was too the camera, reached into her pocket and pulled out what appeared to be a small remote. One quick button press later, Andrey or rather Tasha was thrashing about as the light on the collar changed from green to red. After a moment it stopped._

_Iris was horrified. This was...the only word she could think of was nearly demonic. She wanted to scream. She wanted to look away but someone had to bare witness to this injustice._

_Next to the teen in the cage a duplicate seemed to shimmer off and separate, similar to the pervert asshole who had attacked her and Kelly at the convention._

_The duplicate was about the exact same height as Andrey or actually Tasha; sharing the same long kinky black hair and wearing the same clothing, though the duplicate seemed rather more feminine in appearance, curvier and a bit small._

_"Studies show that the correct electronic pulses projected through the collar can compel the subject to recreate a copy at or insistence. We will begin testing a phase 2 soon," The women on the video said._

_Iris checked the time stamped on the video, realizing it was old, months old at least 10 months. Part of her wondered if the teenager in the video was even still alive. The video dated back to before the Wellness center official existed._

_One the side of the screen, the name Andrey came up along with Multiple boxes and different dates. She saw one dated, for just 2 weeks ago. Some part of her sighed in relief meaning the Teen was still alive. She didn't really want to see how else they hurt these kids but she needed to know how deep the rabbit hole was going. She pressed play._

_Andrey or Tasha as the case may be, was laying on a table. The collar thing was clearly in the kids neck. The light was green though so at least it wasn't causing any pain. The door opened and in walked that jerk from the convention, who tried to kill them. Behind him, just out of frame, a familiar sounding make voice asked, " Are those really neccesary?"_

_Iris' blood ran cold. It sounded like Hasani. Shit. She couldn't be sure though unless she kept watching. Every instinct in her body was screaming._

**_INTRUDER ALERT!!!!_ **

**_. . . . . ._ **

**_To be continued in -Friend in Need ( Dark deeds)_ **


	8. A Frriend in need ( Dark deeds)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iris investigation leads to some horrifying revelations that Kelly is hesitate to believe as we Journet through Iris PoV in flashbacks. Catching up to the present gives Kelly some surprises and leaves Iris with more questions when they run into Selik and close out the Friend om need chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW for some transphobic or perhaps Transmisic things from Tashas dad, along with descriptions of cages and tortuted. Also Tw for Vincent Assualting Iris momentarily. 
> 
> This is just a continuation of the 'Friend in need chapter that had to be separated in multiple parts.

**_INTRUDER ALERT!!!!_ **

_An alarm went off out of seemingly nowhere. She pulled out her phone, taking a picture of the wall with all the pictures. Her adrenaline was surging as she haphazardly took pictures of the things on the desk, not the best shots but it was something at least. She exited the closet, running through the file room to the door and stepped out closing it behind her. A second later a large guard was coming down a flight of stairs towards her._

_"Hey." Iris decided to play coy. " I'm lost and kinda turned around. I'm looking for my friends Doctor Jonson and Doctor Olsen, " she tried to seem calm as the guards' voice demanded that she " come with me. This area is restricted. "_

_. . . ._

**_( 1145pm, about 1 hour before Kelly calls Alex. Iris is out investigating)_ **

_She was inching. It wasn't physical itching but rather just the twitch in her body when her instincts were on to something. She was following the women from the Wellness Center. She had recognized her from the other day and she was almost definitely the person in the video who had been conducting those test on the Teen in the video earlier._

_She followed the woman for over an hour as she did mundane things like pick up food, fill up gas and just drive around. Iris was grateful that Kelly wouldn't miss the car at this time of night. Finally after about an hour of wandering around town the woman stopped in front of an abandoned looking warehouse and got out of the car._

_Iris sat in the car with the lights off, on the opposite side of the street. Why did it always have to be a creepy abandoned warehouse? Just once a bad guy hideout should be some place that wasn't aweful. She could not really go in there alone though. She needed backup. After taking a handful of pictures, she put her cellphone camera down._

_A tapping on her back window startled her and not taking anymore reckless chances,she threw the car into drive and took off. She was gonna need a drink._

_. . . ._

**_(3am in Iris Hotel room)_ **

_Okay so, where were some of these kids. She'd matched some pictures on the wall with some of the stuff she managed to photograph from the desk. As far as she could tell they were allegedly being moved to a new facility that was being built...in Central city…??? Two plus two must equal grits cause where the heck was this facility at then. A place that big would be noticed even by the folks in Central city._

_For all intents and purposes, the kids were either missing or...or worse._

_She had been up for hours, answered a few text messages and been pouring over the pictures her mind replayed that video. Andrey or Tasha, she didn't 100% understand but that kids' pain was burned into her brain and she needed to talk to Kelly as soon as they both had some actual sleep._

_. . . ._

**_(6pm, next day at a church Bible study meeting…??)_ **

**_Authors' notes: okay, I apologize for interrupting the flow of the story again but, small trigger warning for something in the next section. We got mentions of abandoned by a parent, transphobic or perhaps Transmisic parental behavior, emotional neglect and hints of involuntary experimentation/torture and possibly something that could be considered trafficking of minors._ **

_The talk earlier that day with Kelly had given Iris alot to consider. She wasn't trying to get killed but the investigation had to move forward. Iris sat in the back of a church. It was a nice building, spacious well built, powerful but soft lighting. Admittedly, her black ankle boots and dark purple dress with the slit in the side, may not have been 100% in line with the setting._

_There was a mid week Bible study meeting going on. The closest person was about 6 rows ahead of her. The church itself had about 14 rows on each side._

_She was waiting patiently for...someone. She honestly was 100% sure but the night lady from coffee the other day and asked if she would be willing to talk to someone. She had no problem with that. As long as she had a public space. Eleanor had suggested the Church bible study night meeting and so here she was._

_After about 15 minutes of waiting, a lovely looking caramen complexioned women with hazel brown eyes and long off black, almost brownish hair, stepped through the back door of the church. She didn't look any older than 40, or perhaps younger, although her eyes held an endless exhaustion to them. Her longer blue dress and coat seemed more in line with the Bible study meeting that was happening ahead._

_She looked at Iris and quietly whispered, "Miss West-Allen?" There was a slight hint of an accent, that was a tell tale giveaway of some mixed heritage that Iris couldn't quite place._

_"Aiyana?" Iris asked, hoping this was the person Eleanor had wanted her to meet._

_The woman nodded, sliding into the pew next to Iris as Iris moved over to allow her space._

_"My husband would kill me if he knew I was here. I couldn't just stay quiet. My child is-"_

_"Listen Miss…"_

_"It's Dawson, but please just call me Aiyana."_

_Iris nodded. "Noted."_

_"I'm not sure how much longer it will be Dawson at this rate anyways." She admitted, looking down at her lap._

_"Aiyana," Iris spoke quietly, "start from the beginning. "_

_"It's been nearly two years if you really wanna know. Although, I guess it goes back even further in some ways. Miss West-"_

_"You can just call me Iris."_

_"Iris, have you heard about the green light problem freeland had recently and the kids it turned into Metahumans?"_

_Iris nodded. She was loosely familiar with the details. " Did your child-?"_

_"No. My baby never used drugs of any kind. It was...He-" She paused as though catching a slip up, before switching, " she was a good kid. I- I grew up in Freeland you know. I left for a long while but when Andrey or Tasha now, was about 15, we moved back."_

_The name was like ice water crashing into Iris. Her mind rapidly replayed the video and files she had seen the other day._

_"She started...manifesting her...gifts around then. We just wanted our baby safe. The powers were of no consequence and we carefully kept our baby hidden, deflecting the test for a while when all that craziness was happening."_

_"Oh my god…Did they-?"_

_"No. They didn't catch my baby." Aiyanas whispered voice seemed almost cold now as her eyes teared up and seemed to almost flash green for a moment. " About 11 months ago, Andrey was sitting with me and my husband, perhaps soon to be ex-husband, and my baby told us that he needed to be his real self."_

_I had been noticing some changes over the pass few months, a growing softness if you will. My baby's had grown out all that lush hair, inherited from me and kept it braided. I had even found some mystery pills hidden in the pockets of jeans and t-shirts. I had a sense where this was going. "_

_The wheels were turning in Iris' head and she hoped this wasn't going where she thought it was._

_"My baby told us that she was...a girl and something inside her just knew it and she wanted to be honest and tell us. She told us about the pills and were she got them and how she had subtly been moving towards becoming herself." Aiyana paused, taking a breath, " I just wanted my baby safe and healthy. Whatever that included, didn't matter, "Aiyana insisted, crying quietly._

_"Aiyana, what happened?" Iris leaned closer a bit, trying to offer some comfort to this woman, who was pouring her soul out to help Iris._

_"Mekhal loved Andrey. He was in awe of his first born when Andrey was born. He just- I guess he thought the powers had warp Tashas mind. He threw her out onto the street after they had a fight and Mekhal tried to throw her pills away." Aiyana was crying full blown now, tears escaping to run down her cheeks._

_"Aiyana…"_

_"I found her a few weeks later and brought her home, safe. I was beyond furious with Mekhal but...he just, he was so contrite and sweet as he apologized to me…" She smiled almost fondly, before her eyes turned cold. " About a week later, I came home from work and...Tasha was gone. Mekhal was in the den finishing talking to that Sedgwell man and some other white man he had with him. I didn't catch the name."_

_Iris was running through options in her head. " Tall, dirty blonde, kinda brownish hair, and a scar by his ear? " Iris asked_

_"That's him." Aiyana confirmed for her. "After they left, Mekhad assured me that, he sent Tasha to get help. He insisted her mind was warped and this facility in Central city would cure her. That was about 10 months ago. This Sedgwell man then popped up building a center in Freeland." Aiyanas' eyes had noticeably shifted from hazelish brown to green and she seemed to almost...shimmer for a moment herself before getting a hold of herself._

_"Aiyana…" Iris ventures out on a limb. "you said Tashas powers were not from green light…"_

_"She inherited them...from me…" Tasha admitted. " Mekhal knew. He had never minded my gifts. If anything he found them incredibly inspiring. The day my baby was born, we knew there was every chance of those gifts being inherited. "_

_"I'm so sorry." Iris whispered, genuinely devastated for Aiyana._

_"So am I. I tried to be patient. Postcards came regularly every two weeks from that Clinic with reassurance that Tasha was fine. My husband insisted it was okay. He said he wanted his son back and that clearly the clinic would cure whatever delusions he thought had afflicted Tasha. Mekhal never would refer to my baby as Tasha though. He always said Andrey would get the help he needed."_

_Iris truly couldn't imagine a parent being this against their own child._

_"I finally got fed up. I booked a flight to Central City, determined to see this Clinic from myself." Aiyana shook her head._

_"The address was bogus. It led to a small coffee shop. And then…"_

_Iris sensed they were about to get to the most disturbing part of all this._

_"You can be married for years and not fully know someone. I came back and I was frantic. I told Mekhal about this. Our baby was missing. He took my hand and smiled and insisted it was fine. He told me that he knew the address was fake and had given it to me to calm my nerves. He told me that Sedgwell had paid him 50,000 dollars to let Tasha into this program and...I- I loved my husband but- I almost committed a murder that day. I couldn't look at him the same. I couldn't go to the police either cause these people hadn't kidnapped Tasha. Mekhal gave them permission._

_Them Sedgwells name popped up on a center here in Freeland as they built it. Every part of my soul knows, they did something- something aweful to my baby; a mother knows these things._

_"Aiyana, I promise, I'm gonna do everything in my power to find out the truth for you." Iris promised, not having the stomach right now to tell Aiyana about the videos. " I'm working with a partner who has some...access there at the Wellness center._

_"I'll pay anything Iris, please…"_

_"I'm not doing this for money. Sedgwell is scum._

_Aiyana pulled a tissue from the box underneath the pew and dabbed her eyes. " I have a copy of the check he wrote to Mekhal. " She pulled a paper out of the bra, surprising Iris. " After I found out about the money, I demanded that Mekhal give it to me for safety. I deposited it into an account for Tasha to have one day when she's safe. I just...I've talked to some of the other parents whose kids are being evaluated by this place and, it's like everyone else is brainwashed except those of us that have been effected."_

_This was all lining up with what Iris had seen on those tapes and the other pictures from the file room. Sedgwell hadnt technically kidnapped Tasha though. Her father could just say he consented to some kind of rehab or anything. She needed time to fit together some more pieces._

_Iris took the copy, stuffing it in her own boot, carefully making sure not to rip it._

_"Aiyana...thank you."_

_As Aiyana stood to leave, she paused. "There's this old tradition in My family and in Mekhals' family. Boys are named after either a Grandfather or Great uncle. When our baby was born, Mekhal immediately wanted to name him after his Great Uncle. Mekhals' Uncle Andrey helped raise him after his father passed. He was beyond honored to name the baby that."_

_Iris felt almost invasive for asking, " oh. So where did the name Tasha come from?"_

_"My baby was following tradition." Aiyana smiled as she seemed to be reliving a fond memory. "Tasha was my mothers' sister. My momma passed away about 2 years before Tasha was born. Auntie Tasha was a rock. She spent the first 5 years of Tashas' life, close to us. She would travel every year to see us for Christmas and Thanksgiving. She sang like a choir full of Angels; Taught Andrey every hymn she knew. She adored spending time with any kids. Tasha was so fond of her. When she came out at the dinner table and told us to call her Tasha, part of me smiled."_

_There was just something unexplainable about sharing something unspoken with a daughter, Iris recalled briefly thinking of her own future child and everything that had happened in that potential future._

_"Mekhal got laid off about 18 months ago. Maybe...some part of me hopes he was just desperate. My job at the legal firm was more than enough financially but, he just- He- the man I married loved our child. He feels like a stranger now. Maybe he felt like Andrey becoming Tasha was a final loss. I just don't know. All I know is, my baby deserved better." She told Iris before she quietly ducked back out the door, leaving Iris with a lot to think about._

_. . . ._

**_(3:30am at the hotel)_ **

_Iris was sure she was going to die from embarrassment as she quickly close the door behind her, exiting Kellys' hotel room and quickly hurried away trying to cleanse her brain of the memory of seeing her friends in this state of undress. Perhaps this was how Cisco had felt when he interrupted Barry and Her last week._

_She had gotten back to the hotel around 930 and snuck over to get a complimentary margaritas or 3 to calm her nerves after meeting with Aiyana. The details she had uncovered were disturbing to say the least. For all intents and purposes Sedgwell was basically trafficking children and doing so in a way where it was just barely legal, by financiallycompensating parents for their child's "participation in the project" so it was almost like kids were being purchased for slavery. Her stomach turned around the thought. They needed to deal with Sedgwell or at least the center and find these kids._

_She had wanted to talk to Kelly but the other woman had not been there and the one two punch of the margaritas had allowed Iris to rest, while she waited. At about 12:45 she had sent off some text messages to check on Kelly and checked her hotel room, to find it empty._

_Walking into the room nearly 3 hours later out of concern, to find it occupied by a nearly naked Kelly and Alex, had not been part of the plan. Her foot tripping over that bag though had confirmed that something other than play time had been on the agenda, unless L-corp was suddenly making sex toys. That was a conversation that could wait until the morning. She was gonna have to make an uncomfortable phone call and Kelly likely would not be happy though._

_. . . ._

**_( Car ride to Jeffs' house)_ **

_She felt like she had probably been too hard on Kelly. She could feel the building stress as the car ride rolled along. Kelly seemed lost in thought and she was almost desperate to cleanse that stress._

_"Relax. Trust me okay."_

_"I do trust you." Kelly told her, though she sounded kind of Far away as she said it._

_As the pulled up in front of the Pierce family home, Iris was actually feeling the tendrils of stress and uncertainty. The photos of those kids and that horrific video of those doctors running those tests on that teen, had haunted her dreams and burned into nightmares playing in a loop with the memory of her office being broken into. She was practically twisted into knots inside as she waited._

_Jeff was really Iris' only hope of finding and saving these kids. The internal debate of how much to tell him and Kellys' objection to upending and interrupting these peoples' lives was being drowned in a perhaps selfish need to save these kids and get a 'win' after all that had happened. Kelly was fidgeting next to her on the porch and she reminded herself to have a better conversation with the other woman later on._

_. . . ._

**( Present)**

Kelly was unconscious again. She seemed to be fine otherwise. Iris could here Vincent groaning in pain and some, perhaps morose part of her couldn't muster up the energy to feel any sympathy at all for him. Honestly if Kelly hadn't stopped her, she might have ended up killing him in a blind rage. Truth be told, part of her waa still considering it, though her mind was clear enough now to know that was wrong.

She pressed the back of her hand to Kellys' forehead to check her temperature. She had a fever. She was warm, but nothing life threatening from Iris assessment. Since Anissa had cleansed the poison.

The guilt at Kellys' current condition still nawed and poked at her. Maybe if she hadn't called Kara and Lena, or...actually Kelly and her would likely be dead then but maybe, she should have tried to talk to her or something like that. She had just been positive that Kelly didn't wanna talk to her.

. . . .

**_(Finding Hasani dead in his office)_ **

_" You've done enough!" Kelly had yelled. Her words were a clear recrimination._

_Hasanis body lay dead on the floor and the chemical cocktail of Kellys' grief and anger was choking them both right now._

_Iris stepped back, feeling like she had just received the verbal equivalent of a slap._

_The medical personal rushing in and the sound of police sirens, drown out any response she could have even tried to make. It's all medical personnel scrambling and police questions after that. Noone seems to suspect either of them as being involved though, which surprises Iris._

_Alex shows up, pulling Kelly into the comfort hug she definitely needs and Kelly is altogether limp and numb in Alex hold, kinda going through motions. Iris finds her own emotional strength caving and She is calling Barry and trying not to feel needy as she tells him what has happened. Within a few minutes, she hears a gust of heavy wind and he's jogging towards her. He has a small side bag of probably his go-to main 2 or 3 t-shirt and jeans. He's wearing simple blue Jeans and a white polo. His hair looks slicked back and a bit wet like he kept outta the shower recently._

_She practically falls into his arms. He's her North Star. He really does help her find her way back to herself like nothing else will._

_"Iris…" he is whispering her name and kissing her forehead then. Their trip back to the hotel is in the blink of an eye after that._

_. . . ._

**_(At the Hotel: 9pm)_ **

_She tells him everything. Everything from the putrid tape and threat she had gotten, all the way to the talk with Tashas' mom and Hasani and Kelly and it comes out in a rush as she purges the emotional weight of this week from her body; like she's cleansing her soul._

_He spoons her and cuddles in, holding on to her and whispering reassurance in her ears._

_"I love you." He tells her, with that intensely soft conviction he's always had when he says that. " You were just trying to find those kids. This is not your fault."_

_Part of her knows he's right. The other part of her is losing her battle against her own tears as she has to wonder how it could be anyone's fault but hers._

_"Barry, I just-"_

_"Hey, it's okay." His words sooth her._

_She rolls over so she's facing him, looking into his beautiful eyes. She wants him to wash all this away._

_"I should of told you about the tape and the threats and all of that sooner." She apologized._

_"You have nothing to be sorry for. I just want you to be okay. " Barry reassured her as he leaned in to kiss her lips softly, comforting, and endearingly._

_. . . ._

**_(Approximately 1 hour before Kelly left the Hotel to go to Search Hasanis house in Freeland)_ **

_Iris stood outside Kellys' hotel room door. She was unsure how to proceed. She had been standing there for probably 10 minutes or so. Technically she still had the key card and could let herself in but she was almost certain that Kelly would not want to see her._

_She wasn't even sure how to explain herself right now. Everything had become increasingly complicated in the last few days and she wasn't really sure where she and Kelly stood with each other. The idea that this was going to be the rift between them going forward forever, hurt more than anyone would of expected given how new and delicate her friendship with Kelly was. She couldn't really bring herself to disturb Kellys' rest though. Maybe there was at least something she could do to help those kids, sense she'd currently messed things up here._

_. . . ._

**_(25 minutes after Kelly had already Left the hotel)_ **

_Iris smash a small side window on the abandoned warehouse. She was trying her best to be quiet but she wasn't particularly careful at the moment. A bat was probably not the stealthily done choice. Something about the argument with Kelly had set off this unspoken recklessness in her. Before she could enter the building, a gust of Wind and red blur was materialized in front of her revealing her husband, all suited up._

_Barry looked worried and probably as frustrated as he could ever get at her._

_"Iris! Why didn't you call me for help?" He asked, sounding exasperated. " What is even-?"_

_"Barry." She whispered, gesturing for him to be quiet. She should of Known he would follow her. She gestured into the warehouse and climbed up into the window she had smashed. He followed after her._

_They found themselves inside of a large room. It was about the side of a high school football field. In the corner to the left there was a large grey tube that was about five feet wide and stretched from floor to the ceiling. It was vibrating a bit. There were some pictures and papers scattered across the floor. It looked like someone had left in a hurry very recently, judging by the scuff marks that indicated there used to be tables and desks or something in there..On the other side of the room near some stairs, there was a cage. It was about 20 feet cubed. The door was open on it. There seemed to be some dividers that could separate the cage into two smaller cages._

_Iris looked around. She had been expecting...truthfully, she wasn't sure what. She walked towards the stairs._

_"Iris."_

_She turned to see Barry looking a bit ill. Something in the room was making his shakey; And not in a nervous way, but a literal, vibrating his whole body way._

_"Barry?"_

_He took a minute to get himself under control, before approaching her. "Something in that tube is...I don't know."_

_"It has some kinda effect on metas." Iris stated. She thought back to the state the kids in the video were in and had to supress the unhelpful anger that rose up in her. "Stay close."_

_Barry pulled out his phone and sent off a text. " I'm texting Alex and Kara for backup." He told her simply._

_Part of her almost wanted to object. Kelly must be with Alex and she wasn't up to testing the fragility of the issue still hovering between them just then._

_Iris and Barry headed up the stairs._

_As they got to the next floor, they found themselves, standing in a large room. There were more smaller cages in a corner off to the left side, some window and a door that was opened, leading to a fire escape. Near the door was a table with few papers on it. They walked into the room, headed to the table._

_The table contained a list of names in it._

_Charles West_

_Greg Dinnes_

_Keisha Johnson_

_Sara Andrew's_

_Vanessa Swift_

_Andrey Dawson (Transfered for testing)_

_Henry Jones_

_DeMarcus Pearson (Transfered for testing)_

_Levi Warren_

_Tyler Montgomery_

_Danielle Henders_

_Samantha Apron_

_Britney Lewis ( metabolic instability)_

_Shaundreya Denson_

_DeAndre Jackson_

_Eddy Smith ( lost in transfer)_

_Natasha King_

_Bridget Olten_

_Dontavius Bigerstaf (unidentified)_

_Peter Howards_

_Jaamal Daniels_

_William Jones_

_Steven Westson_

_Adam Hamilton_

_Harker Smith_

_Breyonna Thompson_

_Julie Frederick_

_Bonnie Benston_

_Candace Collins ( unretrievable after box)_

_Azel Tesman_

_Melik Adams_

_Iris scrolled through the list. A few of the names had notations next to them. It was so casual and clinical how they were playing with these kids' lives. It made Iris want to scream or almost punch something. Part of her knew it was ridiculous but after talking to Tashas' mom she felt like she was personally wrapped up in all this. Seeing 'Andrey Dawson' on the list was a gut punch. She recognized immediately that, that was Tasha. The only good part was that there was still a chance she was alive and relatively as safe as could be under the circumstances._

_"This is...What is going on?"_

_"They have all these kids, pretending to help them while really they're just torturing them…" Iris breathed out the answer quietly._

_"Why hasn't anyone…"_

_"Poverty, desperation, fear or no one is paying attention. " Iris answered. Her response was probably a bit abrupt to Barry but she was processing a lot at the moment._

_Before she could say anymore, there was a clicking sound. Barry was noticeably shaking and looked sick again. Then a sucking almost vacuum like sensation hit the air, swirling like one of the vibe portals Cisco created. It was about 3 feet behind Barry, sucking him back._

_"Barry!" She screamed his name_

_"Iris run! I can't -"_

_She reached out for his hand as he tried to run at superspeed. The portal seemed connected and locked on to him. From where she stood, she saw a man standing in the doorway holding up some kinda device. He was chuckling._

_"Iris!" Barry yelled her name as the portal device swallowed him up._

_A second later the man was walking towards her. She recognized him as he got closer. It was the jackass who attacked her and Kelly at the conference a few months ago. Almost without thinking, she found herself yelling as she swung on him with the bat she had. Perhaps from luck or skill, the knife he pulled was knocked from his hand to which Iris breathed out some relief. The guy ducked under the next swing though and grabbed her by the throat._

_"Stop struggling!" He ordered._

_Had things not been so dangerous Iris probably would have stopped to be shocked at the arrogance. As it stood, she didn't have the time. Next thing, she knew, she was being slammed into a wall and choked, then this pervert...kissed her._

_Iris' body instantly rebeled, repulsed by the feeling of his aggressive un-consensual kiss. Her knee came up, instinctively slamming into his crotch as hard as she could, hurting him as best she could in this position, wanting him off her._

_He threw her to the ground then and the violent shock left her momentarily unmoving. She heard ringing and saw him answer a phone but couldn't catch all of it. A moment later he left. Iris throat still ached from being choked._

_The sound of Alex coming through the door, bursting into the room was a welcome gift then. She was wheezing a bit and needing help._

_. . . ._

**(Present)**

The whirlwind drama that arouse after that, of trying to find Kelly and Kelly sending that information she got from Hasani, had all been a startling gut punch for Iris. The next trip to Jeffs' house to grab him and get help, had resulted in Gambi paging Anissa and teenage ramblings from Jeffs' daughter about how she needed to come too. Iris almost vividly recalled how startled Lynn had been when Brainy popped onto the Pierce house via that damn portal watch and rambled out some scientific mumbo jumbo, along with _" and Lena and I will need your help."_ Before basically pulling the woman headlong with him through the portal, while akso lamenting that it was somewhat unstable and something was causing glitch interference. 

Alex' mumbled complaint that _" I'm still annoyed that Lena gave him the watch instead of…"_ would of almost been funny if not for how stressful it all was.

Perhaps Iris' own unresolved rage had caused her to be more volatile that was strictly needed. She couldn't really say for sure under circumstances this extreme. Who knew after all this, that a name would be what set her off.

. . . .

**_(20 minutes or so before Kelly woke up and stopped Iris)_ **

_Iris sat there looking at the jackass across from her. Everything in her soul was in knots right then. She had left Kelly. Somehow, this was all her fault. Barry had been hurt and maybe that was her fault too._

_" I'm surprised you have friends, Miss West. You're so aggressive and untamed." He told her._

_Iris looked at this man, this guy who had tried to kill her and Kelly multiple times. "You're an assassin, and you're calling me aggressive. "_

_"I do my job, Miss West. I take pleasure sometimes but-"_

_"All those kids you helped abduct?"_

_His face twitched a bit, seeming annoyed that she knew about that. " They were urchins. We did society a service. We gave their lives purpose. "_

_Iris felt her stomach turning as he spoke._

_"How do you sleep at night?"_

_"How do you and your husband sleep Miss West. You two have your own private prison for Metas, do you not? Pot meet Kettle?" He shot back._

_Iris had often held her own questions and reservations about the Meta jail they had, so she didn't even bother defending that subject. She looked over to the side room where Kelly slept, her thoughts turning back to the present problem. " You stabbed Kelly."_

_"Yes. Your interference prevented her death though unfortunately. It's all been a waste of perfectly good poison." He was so casual and pseudo polite it was actually horrifying to Iris on some level. " At least one of my associates was able to take care of some loose ends."_

_"The kids are living breathing people, not loose ends."_

_" They're not really. Most of them will grow up to be welfare trash or metahuman terrorist."_

_"You're going to rot in jail." Iris told him, fidgeting where she sat. She felt tense. Some part of her wanted to just punch this vile creep. She was trying not to think of what he'd done to her, to Barry, to Kelly…_

_He laughed. He was chuckling like it was a joke. He was still whincing in pain though from being him earlier. " Of course you would like to think that Miss West."_

_"Where is Tasha?" She asked. She was burning up inside, practically dying for an answer._

_"Who? Oh...Mr. Dawson and his delusions have spread I see." He laughed again. "You know when my employer hired me he said 'Vincent, I trust-"_

_Iris' brain didn't catch the rest. She got stuck at the name...Vincent. Her body nearly had a full flashback to the feeling of violation that had swept over her as she had stood in her office, all her things touched, tainted and emotionally mutilated like that. Same guy who had caused all this damage had also…_

_"Vincent…" She hiss the name out like it was a damnation._

_"You received my office warning then. You know, miss West-"_

_Iris just lost it. It was like some kind of internal dam broke inside her. It was the straw that broke the camels' back. She was up and punching him, then without thinking._

_It was like she was swirling in a storm; a storm fueled by rage, fear, Tasha, all those kids, Kelly, the convention, Barry...her Barry, the violation to her and her office...all of it. Some part of her Brain could feel herself striking Vincent again and again and again and again and again. There was definitely blood. He was bleeding from his nose._

_"No…" she heard him yelling_

_How hard was she hitting him. She wasn't even sure. Part of her didn't care. As aweful as it was probably, she wanted him dead. Next thing she knew, she had the bat across his throat, choking him to death._

_Moments passed as he shook and struggled. The demon spector of that horrifying video with Tasha played through Iris' mind followed by him stabbing Kelly. Then the repulsion she felt from that recording in her office...it was like mental torture. Part of her was on some level aware that she should stop. Shouldn't she?_

_"Iris?" Kellys' voice calling her had pulled her back down from the haze she had been in and grounded her in, if nothing else, surprise._

_. . . ._

**_(Present)_ **

Finally the room seemed to shimmer a bit around them. Iris stayed in place, making sure Kelly was okay. Everything spun for a moment and she felt a pulling sensation, like riding and elevator sideways. Then she found herself sitting on the floor of...the wearhouse? It was definitely the wearhouse her and Barry had been in earlier. Vincent was now about 10 feet away knocked out on the floor and Iris felt no compulsion to check on or help him at all, truth be told.

Barry was on the floor, groaning and panting. He looked like he was sweating. He was pale, more so than usual. His eyes were closed, though he seemed to be awake. A few feet away in the other side was a black man, with think black hair, style in a low cut afro. He was shirtless, wearing only a pair of red silky boxers and one sock. Iris didn't recognize him. 

"Barry?" She called his name.

"Iris...are you-"

"Kelly!?" Alex' voice yelled through the room. 

Iris turned to see Alex running over from the stairway. She took stock of the room, seeing the cages gone. It looked like someone, probably Kara had smashed them all. The table that had the list on it was moved and some kinda portal equipment was facing where they were sitting. A laptop sat on the table.

"Where is-?" She started to ask Alex.

"Lena and Lynn said something about taking the wellness center. She got some kinda call from Brainy. I'm not sure. Most of the kids are down stairs or on the way to the center. Karas' moving them now.

"What the-" 

Alex reached forward, stroking the side of Kellys' head and checking her over. The bleeding had stopped again and for the most part aside from being stabbed, she seemed fine. Iris moved, letting Alex get Kelly in her arms and crawled a few feet over to Barry.

"Iris…" he whispered her name like she was his salvation as she ran her fingers through his hair and checked him over.

"Caitlyn went with Lena and Lynn. I guess we need to all head towards the hospital once we get the rest of the kids settled.

Anissa came up the stairs through the doorway, still in her _Thunder_ suit.

"Some of the kids are missing, from the list." She told them. She seemed quite agitated. Her eyes looked over the group. "We need to get everyone transferred down the road to the Wellness center though."

"Could be, that they've been kept at the center." Alex suggested.

Everyone nodded at that. 

"Where is Blacklightning?" Iris asked, surprised not to seem or heard Jeff yet.

Anissa paused, like she was choosing how to answer carefully. "He's chasing down a possible lead on one of the missing kids."

Iris nodded at that. She really couldn't question that. "We need to do this carefully. "

Kara came up the stairs then, she was clearly in a rush. She looked over to see Iris and Kelly now in the room as she stepped in behind Anissa. " oh thank God. I was worried." 

"This has been insane." 

"I still got these last two kids to take. Do you guys need-"

"I think we got it from here. Kara came over closer to Kelly, checking her injury.

"Here," she said, carefully applying a little heat vision to totally seal the wound for Kelly, who whinced a bit and steered into full wakefulness. She stood up. " Don't rush. Be safe." She told them, then she was headed back down the stairs, almost floating in a rush.

The man on the other side of Barry groaned. "Hasani?" He mumbled out the name as he came awake.

Kelly who had recently regain conciousness turned slowly, looking over. "Selik." Her voice held a twinge of sadness and regret.

"Kelly?"

Apparently they knew each other from what Iris could tell now.

"Selik oh my god…" 

Alex looked back and forth and her face conveyed the confusion Iris felt too.

"Where's Hasani? Kelly please…

Kelly drew in a sharp breath and Iris could see tears coming as Kelly buried her head in Alex' neck.

"No!! No…" Selik yelled at Kellys' reaction, clearly understanding. "No….!!!!"

Iris leaned forward, kissing Barrys' forehead. She took a deep breath then, pulling back the tears that she wanted to cry from all this.

. . . .

_To be continued in next chapter: Stolen moments and bleeding love_


	9. Stolen moments and bleeding love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena has an ace up her sleeve to take down Sedgwell thanks to Brainys help. Meanwhile flashbacks reveal how they freed everyone from the trans dimensional box. 
> 
> Plus we get a look at the discussion from weeks ago that compelled Lena to shelve the Nueral soother.

Shadow Games

Chapter: Stolen moments and bleeding love

_ Authors' notes: I know you've all probably felt very curious as to what Supercorp was up to while Kelly and Iris were in Freeland. Also the background on the Nueral Energy Soother that Kelly used on Grace will be in this chapter. Most of this chapter is Kara and Lena PoV. _

_ By: PhenomenalBrat  _

Part of Lena wanted to laugh in frustration relief. Part of her wanted to cry and part of her wanted to scream. She stared at her lawyer, that Brainy had just dropped off, then back at the paperwork, then over at Lynn. She couldn't believe this would or could be this easy as they stood in Lynns office at the Wellness center. Kara was already moving the last few kids here and the others were on the way. She was gonna have to give Brainy a huge raise or something.

She showed Lynn the contract. Lynn took a few moments to scan through the whole thing.

"What kinda idiot would sign a contract like this?" She asked.

Lena let out a small laugh. " This is the one time I'm grateful Lex is such a manipulative jackass."

. . . .

**( Roughly 90 minutes before Iris and Kelly get portaled to the wearhouse)**

_ Lenas' stomach felt sick for a moment. She was really low key tired of that damn portal watch and even more so when it was unstable. Brainy had basically just walked up to her and Lynn and said, "it's working again mostly. We need to go." They had grabbed the formula they had just worked out to help the non meta kids who were being used as ginnypigs along with the metahuman teens and poof they found themselves in the wearhouse with Blacklightning and Kara already there.  _

_ The portal device Cisco had whipped together was already there. _

_ "Cisco popped back to Central city to make sure its' not left unprotected. " Kara had explained as she helped Lena up.  _

_ Brainy had looked off into the distance, mumbling about an interesting development and poof, popped back through the portal and left feeling they had this covered. _

_ "Did you get the information I sent from Kelly?" _

_ "Yeah…" _

_ "They've basically boxed a controlled wormhole as a prison and put the kids inside for storage." Lynn spoke up. _

_ "Yeah...and it seems to be feeding off the ambient nueral energy the metas produce." Kara interjected. _

_ Blacklightning was still looking at the portal device. "So how do we get them out safely?" _

_ "It needs to be destabilized from both sides simultaneously." Lena explained. _

_ Blacklightning nodded. "So how do we-" _

_ "Electric pulse, heat vision, vibrations at a frequency that counters the vibration the portal is running at. All of it. We need a total energy overload." Lena supplied the answer.  _

_ "...Otherwise the backlash from one side might kill everyone as we try to collapse it." Lynn finished Lenas thought. _

_ "Does Barry…" _

_ "Cisco is gonna have to contact him through the com pad in his suit. We are gonna need to wait." Kara said. She walked back over to the table with the laptop on it and sent a message. _

_ Lena walked over to Where Kara was.  _

_ " This is insane." _

_ "Isn't it always?" Kara sighed as she pulled Lena into a hug and kissed her forehead.  _

_ "Why can't we ever have a normal weekend?" Lena joked to cut the stress. _

_ "That sounds like a fantasy." Kara quipped. _

_ They both looked over at Lynn who was being hugged by Blacklightning...Jeff actually but he was in costume. She was whispering something to him and he was nodding at whatever it was. _

_ Finally after about 5 minutes, a beeping went off at the laptop, then the com in Karas' ear beep. _

_ "Cisco says he was able to sorta contact Barry. He's ready. He's gonna start on his end as much as he can. Give him 5 minutes." _

_ "Good." _

_ Lena went over to the laptop. " So this is connected to the portal here and the device downstairs right. The connection should allow us to generate a portal to exactly where they sent Barry and these kids to"  _

_ Lena activated the portal generator. "Give it a few minutes to warm up then hit it with everything you've got." She told Jeff and Kara. _

_ The portal sprung to life and built for a few moments.  _

_ "Now!" Lena yelled once the readings indicated it was ready.  _

_ Jeff let loose a massive blast of electric energy, firing at the portal, while Kara fired a steady beam of heat vision into it. The portal itself showed signs of shimmering and wavering. A large gust of air seemed to be getting sucked back and forth by it, like it was wavering on both sides. They were close. _

_ THWACK! _

_ The door to the stairs swung open and Jennifer ran in. She looked around, seeming aggitated. An older, white gentlemen wearing a black jacket, jeans and a t-shirt was right behind Jenn. Lynn turned upon seeing her daughter and she apparently had some kind sudden idea hit her as the portal wavered. _

_ "Jenn! Blast the portal." _

_ Jenn didn't need to be told twice. She didn't even really ask what was going on. She raised her right hand from where she stood, moving a bit and fired a large orange beam of electric energy at the pulsing portal, dead center.  _

_ The portal sparkes with electric energy and shoke for a moment. They all paused, waiting and then air was rushing out of the portal towards them as kids and teens started falling out of the portal. Some were barely concious. Some seemed unstable. Some were awake but seemed disconnected. Nearly 25 or so kids had fallen out, when a black adult man who appeared to be in his 30s fell out. He was shirtless, and had on only some sleep shorts and a sock. Lena filed that away as a new development they would need to deal with later. They still hadn't gotten Barry yet. _

_ "Where's Barry?" Kara yelled. _

_ "I don't know he-" _

_ A young black woman fell out of the portal...or at least started to. One of her hands was reaching back into it, holding something.  _

_ "It's collapsing!!" Lena told them all. _

_ The girl coming out of the portal, finally fell out, and as she came out her other hand was pulling Barry behind her. He was barely conscious and his body looked drained and pale as he hit the floor. The young woman rolled out, hitting the floor and curling up in fetal position. _

_ Every breathed a strangled sigh of relief as the portal flickered and died.  _

_ "Gambi…" Jeff addressed the man who had come in with Jenn. _

_ "I got the big van ready...where do we-?" _

_ He left that question hanging. _

_ "Barry!" Kara yelled as Barry lay there clearly burnt out. The double check all the kids visual.  _

_ "We need to get Alex and everyone here first." Kara interjected  _

_ "Where are-" _

_ "Thunder moved them to Gambis' place." Lynn said. She turned to Jenn. _

_ Jenn rolled her eyes. "Here I go, messenger style."  _

_ "I can probably pull them here by creating a new portal. You said your friend was injured right." Gambi offered. _

_ Everyone whinced in concern for Kelly. _

_ Lena nodded, willing to let him handle that while she figured out where to move the kids. She doubted the wearhouse where they had been tormented and caged, would be a welcome haven for any of them. _

_ Jenn looked over at Gambi who tossed her a set of keys and then she was off. Lena probably would of been worried about her going alone, if not for the huge display of power she saw from her earlier. _

_ RING!! RING!! _

_ Lenas' phone went off, ringing and vibrating. For a moment she thought it would be Alex giving her an up date. Instead it was...Brainy. She answered. _

_ "Lena! I found it. I know how to stop Sedgwell. You own the Wellness Center! " He rambled all this out quickly as soon as she answered.  _

_ "Wait. What?" _

_ "I'm getting everyone now. Meet me there." _

_ "Brainy…" _

_ "I found the contract of a loan deal between Lex and Sedgwell. "  _

_ "Wait...so Lex loaned Sedgwell money? I thought Sedgwell had just been trying to buy into Lcorp?" _

_ "It's- I will explain more soon. Move everyone to the Wellness center. Everything is under control." He assured her. _

_ Despite how eccentric Brainy could seem at times, Lena trusted his judgments and plans. _

_ "We need to move all the kids to the Wellness center." _

_ "What?" Jeff and Lynn asked in unison. "Sedgwell has got to be-" _

_ "Brainy has it solved. We should be fine." _

_ Kara, who had clearly been listening in, nodded having heard the whole phone call. _

_ "Jenn will be back soon with the van. We can load most of the kids in. _

_ "Cross reference names from the list and make sure we have everyone then. Jeff stated, though it was obvious.  _

_ "I'll fly the rest over." Kara offered _

_ "Uhmmm…" Barry groaned from where he was laying on the floor  _

_ They spread out, looking over the kids, counting to see how many they had and Jeff attempted to identify a few. _

_ "Iris?..." Barry mumbled.  _

_ "She'll be here soon." Kara told Barry, trying to soothe him.  _

_ After about 10 minutes, Kara looked over towards the stairs. Alex, Caitlyn, Anissa, Jenn were pushing through the door.  _

_ It was go time. Lena looked at Lynn before walking over. _

_ "We need to handle this thing at the Wellness Center. You still have the serem?" _

_ Lynn nodded, tapping her pocket. _

_ "Kara, I'm heading-" _

_ "Not without back up!" _

_ "Kara!" _

_ "I got it." Caitlyn looked around and decided her help wasn't needed there. _

_ "Let's hurry up!" Alex was in director mode, yelling direction as she walked over towards where Gambi was. _

_ Anissa seemed to catch on quickly to what was going on as she started helping Kara take some of the kids down stairs, without even needing to be asked or told. Lena headed for the door. _

_ "Babe…" Kara said as she was carrying two people and floating towards the door again. _

_ "I know...be careful. " They looked at each other for a moment, sharing a whole conversation with just their eyes before breaking apart to accomplish their tasks.  _

_ . . . . _

**(Present)**

Kara brought in the last two kids. She just flew right through the door. The woman at the desk had just looked at her and wrote something down after the first or four times, Kara had done that. Lena almost wanted to chuckle at how calm the woman was. 

Sedgwell had already showed up in the lobby area and he was having a drawn out and vigorous conversation with Lahiru. Lena had full faith in Lahiru to eat the pompous asshole alive. She had to remember to gift him something nice though. They had yanked the man out of his bed in the middle of the night...or at least Brainy and Nia had. The more she thought over everything, the more tense she became over Lex involvement. 

She was both terrified and angry for Kelly but truth be told, her own questionable choices, when she wanted to help end all harm, rang in her mind, muting her anger.

. . . .

**(Nearly 4 weeks before Kelly went to Freeland)**

_ "I don't like the way this looks." Kelly commented as she looked up from the information on the test charts she was looking at as she stood in Lenas office. _

_ Lena sighed. She had been thinking something similar. _

_ "L-corps top scientist have been -" _

_ "Lena," Kellys' voice held an edge of exhaustion. " we need to shelve this for a little while. It's been weeks." _

_ Lena watched Kelly, reading her obvious frustration. Kelly had been plowing through some excess overtime the past 3 weeks, monitoring the project. _

_ "I really want this to work." _

_ "I do too." Kelly insisted. " Everything isn't a race to be first. Sometimes it's more important to make sure it's done correctly." _

_ Lena nodded. She breathed out a sigh.The device needs to be worked out. _

_ "It's just the high level doses-" _

_ "Anything over a low to medium low dose could result in short term memory loss or increased agitation when it wears off." Kelly tells her as she looks back at the read out. _

_ "You're- you're right."  _

_ Kelly nods. " You're trying to do a good thing here. We just need to be patient." _

_ Kelly yawned. _

_ "Why don't you take off? I'll take care of shutting things down in the lab." _

_ Kelly looked at her as if she was weighing that choice in her head. _

_ "Lena…" _

_ "I know…" _

_ "We're talking about effects on the human brain here. That's why I'm-" _

_ "Cautious. Yeah. Someone has to be the reasonable hesitant one between us." Lena chuckled. " I- I don't want this to become something like non nocore. I'm probably right there with you in worrying. I- shelving it for a while is...I'll put it on lock down for awhile. " _

_ "Perfect. " Kelly nodded. They smiled at each other quietly, kind of exhausted for a moment. "You should head out too, before Kara shows up with a platter of food insisting you eat." _

_ "Deal." _

_ "Thanks" Kelly tells Lena as she heads for the door. _

_ . . . . _

_ ( _ **Present)**

__ As she sat back down in the chair in Lynns' office,Kara popped onto the room. She had changed back into street clothes.

"Hey."

"Hey." Kara walked over giving her a quick kiss as she sat at the desk thinking and waiting.

"This isn't the vacation we planned." 

"Why did we think it would be that easy." Kara breathed out exasperated. "Alex should have everyone here in a few minutes."

Lena truly felt like she wanted to scream or cry right now, as the weight of everything that was happening started to press on her mind. Kara sensed that almost intuitively though.

"Have I told you lately that I love you." Kara told her.

Lena smiled at that.

. . . .

**_(Morning after Kelly left for Freeland: Back in National city)_ **

_ "I love you." Kara whispered into Lenas ear as they lay in bed.  _

_ It was already at 8:00am and usually Lena would have been up pressing along at 630. She was indulging in mild laziness for the next few days tho, and had decided to sleep in...or rather she had been so intensely ravished by Kara last night that Sleeping was the go to. _

_ "Morning. " Lena mumbled. " Ditto " she told Kara, smiling softly but still not opening her eyes, even as Kara kissed her back. _

_ This was an enjoyable and decadent way to start the day. She really only had one major important meeting scheduled over the next 3 days.  _

_ "So, what do you think of a trip to the countryside?" Kara asked. " You, me and a basket of food and the stars and some blankets??" _

_ Lena smiled. Kara had definitely been listening in that couples counciling session they had gone to. "I love you more. " Lena responded as her answer. _

_ " We gotta get up and shower and check on Alex." Kara told her compelling her out of bed. _

_ . . . . _

**(Present)**

"We are gonna get that countryside picnic done" Kara told her, clearly reading Lenas' thoughts.

Lena nodded and sighed, her emotions still jumbled as she thought about everything else.

"I have to talk to Kelly...and probably Alex too..." Lena sighed.

Kara whinced a bit, probably thinking about how the talk, or scolding was gonna go with Kelly and Alex once all this was settled. 

. . . .

**(Approximately 12 hours after Kelly asked Alex to take the Nueral soother)**

_ Then light rain in the area had put their trip to the countryside on the backbones. It was probably fine for now though as they could etch out some time later on. Drinks with Alex last night had been amusing though in a 'how drunk can we get type of way. _

_ Lena was just stepping out of the shower, when her phone started buzzing and vibrating from where it sat on the bathroom counter. She grabbed a towel wrapping it around herself before reaching for the phone. She was expecting a phone call and instead it was an...alert?? _

_ The phone was showing a log from the lab and a display of information. Someone...scratch that, according to the lab, Kelly technology had long into the lab using her badge number and had logged back out. What the hell?? _

_ Lena stepped out of the bathroom, still looking at the phone and nearly bumped headlong into Kara. Kara looks a little... dusty? She was materializing her supersuit away and had on just some shorts and a tank top. She seemed to have just got done saving...something.  _

_ "There was a fire. I put it out while Nia cleared the build." She explained as Lena looked her over. _

_ " You better be careful or soon Nia will put you out of the job. " Lena teased.  _

_ "She's pretty close. I'm-" _

_ "Impressed with her?" Lena asked before looking back down at her phone. _

_ "Yeah. " Kara said before she noticed Lena was occupied with whatever was happening on that read out. " whats up with…" _

_ "Kelly entered the private lab?" _

_ "What?" _

_ "Its…" Lena mulled it over. " It could just be a computer glitch. " She walked over towards the table by the bed, setting the phone down.  _

_ Kara was looking her over, taking in the fact that she was only covered by a towel.  _

_ "You know…" _

_ "Tempting...very Tempting but you need a shower." _

_ Kara pouted. " Soon…" she promised before slipping into the bathroom."  _

_ Lena looked back over at her phone. _

_ "Kelly…" she whispered into the quiet of the room, as her mind tried not to conjure up some kind of worst case scenario.  _

_ . . . . _

**(Kara-present)**

Kara watched her girlfriend clearly running some options through her brain. She wasn't sure which angle she could even approach this at. This had turned out to be a much bigger mess than anyone had anticipated. 

. . . .

**( Approximately 8 hours after Iris walked in on Dansen having sex and saw the Nueral Soother on the floor)**

_ Kara sat in the plane looking over at Lena, trying to read her expression. It was hard to determine what she was feeling. She didn't even really look mad. _

_ "I should of-" Lena started, then went quiet. _

_ "Lena-"  _

_ "If Sedgwell somehow gets his hands on it…" _

_ "Lena we need to-" _

_ "Kelly is the one who lectured me about not using it. I just-" _

_ "Maybe she felt compelled to do it. You know Kelly." _

_ Lena nodded at that before laying her head back. _

_ "This would be faster if-" _

_ "Kara no." _

_ Kara accepted the decline and reached over to grab some of the wine on the table. She couldn't really get drunk but Lena had grabbed some of a sweet red blend that tasted delicious.  _

_ "We need to just cut this off at the head." Lena said. " I know Kelly wants to keep her friend out of this but…" _

_ "We need to contact Jeff. Iris was actually right…" _

_ Lena sighed, reaching for the wine glass. "I'm so tired."  _

_ Kara looked at the window watching the air wipe past them as they drew closer to Freeland.  _

_ . . . . _

**(Present)**

Kara looked over towards the door as Lynn walked in.

"Everyone is almost here," she told Kara. She looked over at Lynn. "The reversing agent is nearly done. We just need to finish dealing with Sedgwell down stairs"

Lena nodded. 

"Is that guy who stabbed Kelly-?"

"Gambis' handling him."

Kara felt slightly put off by that statement. She couldn't be sure what that meant.

"I'll go help him." She told them as she got up.

Lena nodded, probably already guessing what Kara was thinking.

"Go time…" Lena mumbled before turning to smile a little at Lynn. Kara could tell how much Lena admired the other womans' intelligence. 

. . . .

Thanks for reading. Leave comments, kudos or constructive criticism. 

To be continued in next chapter-  **Open wounds**

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	10. Open wounds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> James contemples his role as a brother. Alex makes a tricky decision to help calm Kellys emotional anguish. Nia trashes the lab Sedgwell tortured the kids in after finding some traumatizing information. Also Kelly and Iris have a much needed conversation after their earlier fight.

Shadow Games- Open wounds

( Westallen, Supercorp, Thundergrace, Dansen)

**_Authors' note: This chapter is from James PoV and then from Alex PoV._ **

**_Just wanted to let you know._ **

**_Tw: I am doing a small TW here for something that happens later in this chapter. It involves involuntary experiments on a character who happens to be transgender. Tbc tho the experiments aren't neccesarily done because the character is trans. It just so happens that way, if that makes sense. Nia rather goes off the edge when she hears about it. I have it marked in the chapter though so don't worry._ **

**_By: PhenomenalBrat_ **

James could not sleep. Okay, he probably could have if he had tried but he couldn't even try right now. His flight here had been rather quick under the circumstances but also taken forever. Getting a call that your baby sister had been stabbed and almost poisoned was a weighted thing. Maybe this was the stress Kelly herself had felt all those years.

He had pretty much been watching over Kelly and Alex for two hours straight, save for a 15 minute trip down the hall to check on Barry. He was grateful to see his old friend okay, more or less, after what he had been told. Iris had nodded at him and asked about Kelly while he was over there. His only response had been, "she's stronger than people think." That wasn't really false or true though. People assumed too much about what Kelly could handle.

Watching Kelly rest and recover with Alex never leaving her side, resting next to her was sobering. Truth be told, part of him was almost angry no one had called him sooner, but then he wasn't totally shocked. A lot had happened in the past week. Nia had marginally caught him up via a text and a conversation before she went to check on Barry too.

The news about little Hasani...okay well big adult Hasani actually, had been like a worp speed punch to the gut. There was no time to process everything though. So much seemed to have happened back to back, like an orchestrated catastrophe. Hasanis' loss left a hole in his chest and he already knew he would likely find himself crying out his anguish in Serenes open arms soon, having found himself growing closer to her in the last few months.

The only thing really letting him breathe right now was the need to be a stable rock for Kelly. All the time spent in a free falling emotional rift had left him disallowed to complete that brotherly role. Hasani had seemed to fill that emotional gap even when James himself had been unaware of it though which just left more questions for moving forward. There was so much to process, his mind was definitely not gonna rest right now, of course.

. . . .

**_( November, Kellys' 3 or 5th year in college depending on how you counted her 2 bonus years from advanced classes/running start)_ **

_ James really needed to just get a parking pass or something. Trying to find parking around this campus was like fighting over the Golden fleeces skin. Next year he fully planned to just give Kelly the Pontiac and get himself a new car to save them both this holiday pick up hassle. _

_ When he finally had a parking spot he simply decided to go grab Hasani first. Hasani would at least be ready. He had no doubt that Kelly would be running late. Lately she seemed...distracted and running a little late often over the past year. College was like that though. _

_ When he got to the men's dorm area, Hasani was already walking out to meet him. He looked a bit different. He had definitely filled out and bulked up a bit since James had last seen him. He was wearing a patterned button up shirt that seemed more like a fad thing than Hasanis' usual taste. The sleeves were still rolled up though, following his typical habit. The black jeans seemed to be a better choice than blue jeans would have been. James nodded in approval though his opinion wasn't neccesarily needed here. _

_ "Hey Jay." Hasani greeted him. He had a small black bag in hand that likely contained some clothes for the next week or so. The Nike logo on the bag and the fact that it looked new and probably pretty costly, told James that it was likely a gift from Hasanis' dad, trying to perhaps inadvertently buy Hasanis' love back. James pulled Hasani into their quick 'bro hug" before letting him go. He turned to lead Hasani back to the car. _

_ "You're ready before Kelly again." _

_ Hasani simply laughed non commentily and shrugged a bit. "She'll probably be out in a minute." _

_ James unlocked the door of the old pontiac and let Hasani get his bags settled in the trunk. _

_ "I'm calling shotgun." Hasani declared as he grabbed the front passenger seat.  _

_ After about 10 minutes, James figured Kelly had to be nearly ready and waiting out in front of her building. " I'm gonna run and grab Kelly." _

_ " Did- Did you want me to just-?" Hasani started to offer to get Kelly, but James interjected.  _

_ "Nah. Take a breather in the car. I'll be right back." James assured him before heading off. _

_ The walk back up to Kellys' dorm for where he had parked wasn't particularly long but the fact that parking was basically down hill angle wise from where Kelly was, did make the back and forth kind of a pain. He wasn't completely surprised to not see Kelly around out front waiting. The place was mostly empty though for the holidays so he figured he was fine to go inside and check on her. _

_ Walking down the hall and up two flights of stairs gave him time to reflect on how randomly messy college kids were. Why was there a trash can in this hall that looked to be half full of instant red jello. A few peoples doors were open and it appeared that tornadoes had blown through some of the rooms too. He finally stopped in front of Kellys' dorm room. The door was closed but she was definitely in there. He heard noise on the other side and figured based on the voices, one of her friends was helping her pack. He knocked twice lightly out of politeness before opening the door. _

_ "Hey, Kelly are-" he paused mid sentence as he looked over towards the bed. _

_ The noises he had heard outside the door were much clearer now and it was not just 'friends helping each other pack.' On the bed Kelly was being kissed intensely, by another woman. She was slender, light toffee complexion, curly black hair. James could not tell much else about the woman as it was hard to see her face while she was making out with his baby sister. Neither woman seemed to have noticed him yet. _

_ "April…" Kelly practically moaned out the other girls' name, as she moved to kissing Kellys' neck and James' eyes instantly shot to the floor. _

_ His eyes did NOT need to see this. His ears really didn't need to hear this either. There was every chance that based on the sibling code, he should rightfully bleach this from his mind in fact. James turned to leave figuring he should step back out and close the door and knock much louder and wait for a response. The universe seemed to be against him though and perhaps if he had looked where he was walking this would have been less clumsy. He nearly tripped over a shirt and bumped into the door...loudly. The sound of Kellys' startled gasp behind him, left no doubt that she had heard him.  _

_ "James?" _

_ He turned back around. No point in trying to leave now. Kellys' expression was unreadable. His own face he knew was a mix of confusion though probably not complete surprise. _

_ "Hi" April greeted him, seeming completely nonchalant about the whole thing. She was pretty; honey brown eyes, a small nose ring and some light reddish lipstick which was smeared a bit from her kissing Kelly. She seemed almost amused by him based on her expression. _

_ He felt weirdly embarrassed to have intruded but there was no backtracking now. His brain racket balled around searching for the correct response. _

_ "Uhm...so you must be Kellys' brother." _

_ "Yeah...I was just-" _

_ "I'm April. " She introduced herself.  _

_ Kelly had not said anything as she looked back and forth between April and James. She appeared to be trying to gauge his response. He found himself just nodding. _

_ "Nice to meet you. Uhm…" he turned his attention to Kelly, " So uhm Hasani and I are parked in the east parking lot right down the hill. I'll just let you finish...packing and-" James explained as he headed out of the room, backing out. Kelly was just nodding and getting up from the bed as he left. He felt extremely inept, almost ridiculous for that response but it was like his brain had frozen. He had free fallen out of his depth completely. It wasn't the fact that another woman had been kissing his baby sister senseless cause that was a non issue; rather it was his own confusion over how to respond to tangible evidence of Kellys' romantic life.  _

_ He exited the building, practically speed walking back to the car. When he finally got there, Hasani seemed nearly half asleep as James opened the drivers' side door and sat down. Hasani looked over at him and almost seemed to be smiling as he read James' expression.  _

_ "Kellys' not quite done packing." Was all James said. _

_ Hasani nodded before saying, "Aprils really nice. I'm sure she's helping Keke with that right now." _

_ That pretty much told James everything he needed to know. Some Part of him would later wonder why Kelly hadn't told him or introduced him to this April she was seeing sooner. He always seemed to be one step behind in her life developments as they got older and the ' what was going on?' question would burn holes periodically in his brain moving forward.  _

_ . . . . _

**( Present)**

Knowing what he knew now about the underlying abandonment Kelly had felt as a kid, that had planted the seeds of an unseen rift on their sibling bond, made him feel almost stupid looking back on some things now. He could almost imagine that Kelly hadn't fully known still, how he would emotionally process everything, which explained the delay in anyone calling him; not that he enjoyed that idea much.

He hated waiting like this. Kelly looked fine...well as fine as one can after being stabbed like she was and poisoned with some exotic poison. When doctor Stewart had come back in she had simply said they'd dealt with this particular poison before and luckily had an antidote on hand. James could really only send thanks out for yet another miracle there. He was starting to feel like he was on his 3rd or perhaps 13th chance with his baby sister and every time he looked around one or both of them had had some near death circumstances the last few years. 

Alex was looking over Kelly though. As were all the rest of the team. Not for the first time, he found himself inexplicably thankful for how time and the will of creation had bent and turned, bringing them together. His whispered unseen prayer over them for the sake of Kellys' safety, fell like a blanket over the two, covering them. Hasani had once told him that ' _ sometimes you just gotta ask for the miracle you want Jay'  _ which was interesting since Hasani himself wasn't particularly religious; not to say he wasn't a man of faith though. 

. . . .

**_(Winter Break last day. )_ **

_ Kelly was upstairs packing. James assumed she was at least. He had been waiting for about the past 45 minutes. Hasani had been over at his mom's house the past few days and still gotten back before Kelly was ready. It was weird cause most any other time Kelly was extremely punctual. Maybe it was the lazy free fall college dating. _

_ He had been contemplating something for a while and decided to do it, before he chickened out.  _

_ "So you finally gonna pass the keys on to Keke or just keep starring at them?" Hasanis' question broke through his thoughts, cutting to the point.  _

_ Hasani had been sitting at the table waiting, and munching on a sandwich on leftover Christmas ham and a small bowl of baked macaroni and cheese.  _

_ "I-uhm...how did you-?" _

_ Hasani looked at him and just smiled in that, ' I am wise beyond my years' way that was very Hasani-ish. _

_ James moved from the couch over to the table. "I've been thinking about it for a while." _

_ "You've been nervous. It's your dads' car and you feel closer to him and his memory when you drive it." Hasani read James' thoughts in a way that made him wonder if he was just completely transparent. "Kelly will take care of it." Hasani assured him.  _

_ James had technically been working his way to giving the car to Kelly. He felt inexplicably nervous now, though the feeling was ridiculous and he felt immature for it. _

_ "Parking-" _

_ Hasani reached into his bag unzipping a side pocket and pulled out a parking pass from the university. "I thought I'd get one from the administrative office for the upcoming quarter just in case." He explained.  _

_ James paused, just kind of looking at Hasani for a few moments before nodding. _

_ "So...April seemed nice." James commented losely. He felt stupid trying to even ask about her. His curiousity about this girl...this woman who had captured Kellys' attention was endless though. _

_ "Keke met her in some advanced literature class she's taking for her minor. She's nice. I mean, she's a bit much but Keke likes her." Hasani shrugged. _

_ James really couldn't ask for more than that.  _

_ The sound of footsteps on the stairs, ended the subject as Kelly finally came down. She had on blue jeans and a sweater, her hair still seemed a bit damp from the marathon shower she had taken earlier. Her blue duffle bag of freshly cleaned clothes was slung over her shoulder. She looked over at the two of them over by the table. There was still an unspoken lingering awkwardness hovering between James and Kelly that had been muttering in the background since he had walked in on her and April. _

_ "Ready?" She asked, as if they hadn't been waiting for her _

_ Hasani stuffed the last few bites of baked mac and cheese in his mouth, chewing and swallowing quickly. James was honestly surprised he didn't choke. "Finally. We've been waiting so long I thought we would just leave you."  _

_ Kelly just laughed, taking no offense to the assessment. Hasani stood up, grabbing his own bag before looking over at James. James felt that vexing nervousness again.  _

_ "So...uhm…" he looked over at Kelly, " Mr Mallory down the street offered to sell me his truck." _

_ That was actually true. James had off and on, been considering a new car but not been able to part with the Pontiac even as he tried to will himself to be reasonable. James held out the keys to the Pontiac towards Kelly. Hasani took them stepping across the floor towards Kelly and placing them in her hand. He always seemed to bridge the gap. _

_ Kelly looked between the keys, Hasani and James. " oh...are you…" _

_ "Yeah. " James nodded. He actually felt more confident now that the keys were im Kellys' hand. She had the car; he had the camera. _

_ "Thank you. " Kelly told him. She seemed surprised that James had actually given up the keys to her.  _

_ "Well, we should head out." Hasani broke the silence, walking towards the door. _

_ For a moment James felt like Kelly wanted to ask him something but she just smiled alittle bit and turned, following Hasani. James followed them to the door, standing on the porch to watch them prepare to go. _

_ Kelly popped the trunk of the car, loading in her bag followed by Hasani. She opened the drivers side door and slid in, adjusting the seat, while James watched. Hasani hadnt hopped in the car quite yet. _

_ "You gotta let it warm up." James advised as Hasani walked back over towards the porch.  _

_ "So, looks like that worked." Hasani commented.  _

_ "Hmm… prayed for the miracle of Keke having the car and you feeling better." _

_ "You pray? James asked, surprised by admission from the younger. _

_ "Sometimes...sorta…" Hasani shrugged, gesturing vagueing around.  _

_ "Noted." _

_ After about 5 minutes of letting the car warm up and run, Kelly gestured for Hasani.  _

_ "Hani. Let's roll" _

_ Hasani ran over to jump inside the car. _

_ James would call himself particularly religous but he found himself mumbling the whispered prayer...maybe over Kelly and Hasani, maybe just over the car. This was a good thing though. It had to be. No one was hurt so points after all. Tomorrow, he was gonna have to see Mr Mallory about a car. _

_ . . . . _

**(Present)**

James was almost certain that he was nodding off. He had sat thinking and worrying like a sentinel for quite a while now. The pressure in the side of his head was filled with unshed tears over little Hasani. Even in adult years, he still found himself thinking of the younger man that way. For the sake of his own sanity and Kellys' he hoped she could take herself back to the beginning rather than the end or at least that he could take her there too, even if something rang more bittersweet in hindsight. 

_ . . . . _

**(Alex)**

Alex always had a sixth sense of sorts for when she was being watched. She had vaguely sensed James around, in the room for the past hour or two. Normally being watched was off putting but his presence was oddly comfortable and actually made her breathe a bit easier. Him being here also likely meant that Lena knew about the missing device, Alex had plucked out of her bag. The conversation about that on top of the one about her  _ borrowing  _ it from Lcorp was sure to be a load. Alex honestly couldn't say that she would of done anything different though. Kelly asked. In that moment there had simply been no boundaries she wouldn't have crossed to help her Kelly be okay.

. . . .

**_( 4 hours before James arrived)_ **

_ They strolled through the front doors of the wellness center. Alex could only describe herself as...confused and probably tense too if she had time to think about it. Kelly was nearing unconsciousness as she rested in Alex' arms. A gentle, carefully done application of heat vision from Kara had sealed up the knife wound at least. _

_ Part of Alex had expected some kinda fight of literally anything other than what she actually saw. Sedgwell was there. He was over near a corner and it appeared that he was being told off by a shorter slightly balding man Asian who appeared to be in his early forties.  _

_ " It's very simple. You are derelict on your end of the loan contract." _

_ "Lex-" _

_ "Is no longer in charge of Luthor corp. Luthor corp is now Lcorp and the back and forth dealings between you and the previous CeO have left you in a precarious position. " _

_ "But she can't-" _

_ "Miss Luthor is well within her rights. You made an agreement with the company and you failed to meet the requirements. L-Corp will be seizing control of assets neccesary to balance your debt of 950 million dollars, in which you are derelict." _

_ "I was promised at least 5 years to-" _

_ "Incorrect. The wording of the contract was, at MOST 5 years to recoup the investment. And Luthor corp retain the right to call in the loan at any time." _

_ "But Luthor corp doesn't exist. My deal was with Lex-" _

_ "And all Lex assets are in the control of Miss Luthor, so whether corporate or personal, the debt is being called." _

_ Sedgwell looked like someone had just kicked him in the chest. _

_ Part of Alex had a headache at the astronomical ridiculous amounts of money that rich people just passed around to each other like candy.  _

_ Iris was a few feet to her right and based off of the other womans' expression, she just seemed both exhausted and amused. It was like watching the death eaters on Harry Potter, finally being caught and punished. Barry, who was leaning heavily on Iris sounded like he almost laughed. He looked drained and worn out, pale to be honest, more so than normal. His sign of dark amusement relieved her a bit though. _

_ The ding of the elevator drew everyone's attention as Lena stepped out. Lynn was right behind her, in a green dress and lab coat. Lenas energy was all business. She had on a blue suit that seemed fitted. With her hair pulled up in one of those intense ponytails, it made for a kick ass look. Her black pumps cranked on the floor as she strolled across headed to them. She looked over at Sedgwell as she walked and Alex could only describe Lenas' expression as, 'that look women give when they see a trash ass pervert at the end of the bar' which was pretty fair all things considered. Lena was gripping a medium size black purse and when she looked at Alex, Alex almost instantly knew what was in it. _

_ "We've got some rooms set up for you two" Lena whispered to her and Iris. _

_ Lynn looked over Barry for a moment before declaring "metabolic fatigue" and telling them to come with her. _

_ "I'm gonna go take out some trash." Lena declared, looking back over towards Sedgwell and the man that Alex assumed was an Lcorp lawyer. "Thank God Brainy found that contract." _

_ Alex nodded. _

_ "Take care of her." Lena whispered, looking down at Kelly in Alex' arms. _

_ "Always." Alex smiled a little then sharing a moment with Lena. "Give this asshole hell." _

_ "He's lucky I'm only calling in the declared loan. God knows what else Lex gave him." _

_ "He's lucky, I'm holding Kelly or I would kick his teeth in." Alex declared before heading off to follow Lynn. _

_ "Alex…"  _

_ Alex was just glad Kelly had lost consciousness so she wouldn't have to see Sedgwell or fully process where they were after what happened to Hasani. _

_ In the back of Alex' mind, she noted that there seemed to be no reaction to anything that had happened, from the women manning the main front desk. Robot? She didn't seem to be in attack mode at least. The woman had simply looked back and forth observing what was happening quietly and calmly. Part of Alex felt like the woman had seen so much that nothing phased her anymore. _

_ . . . . _

_ Being in the Wellness center hospital section is a mixed bag. The sterile clean environment can only help. The nurse they send to check on Kelly is an extremely polite lady, who appears to be in her late 30s. Kelly had come back to this side of conciousness but wasn't particularly responsive. Her reaction being only polite nodding and taking some antibiotics that the nurse offered her. After the nurse left Kelly seemed to just stare into the void for a few minutes. Alex sat down on the bed with her. _

_ "Hanis' office-I...we walked in" _

_ The thing that Alex had been most concerned about upon bringing Kelly here, had of course been the fact that they were essentially taking her back to where Hasani had died. Of course this couldn't be good. _

_ "Kelly?" _

_ "There was so much blood…" Kellys' voice was nearly a whisper and it wasn't 100% clear if she was lost somewhere or just venting. "Selik?" _

_ Kelly asked about the other man who had fallen out of the trans-demensional box along with Barry and the kids earlier. Kelly had identified the man as Selik. He had been shirtless, wearing only a pair of red boxer shorts and one sock. He had begged for Hasani, asking over and over to see him as his panic increased. They had used something to sedate him and as far as she knew, Anissa was now moving Selik here, if she hadn't already done so yet.  _

_ "He's fine. It's okay Kelly, I promise." _

_ "It's not. It's not okay. I got him killed. It's all my-" _

_ "No. It's not your fault. Whoever Sedgwell sent to kill him and Sedgwell himself are to blame." _

_ "Iris...I Should apol…" _

_ "Hey…" Alex leaned forward pulling Kelly into a careful hug. Kelly almost felt like she was shaking.  _

_ "I can't think… I-" _

_ "Remember you told me that healing wounds takes time?" _

_ "I don't have any time left." _

_ Alex is terrified to ask how Kelly meant that honestly. "I'm here. Just...anything you need…" _

_ "I just- My mind needs to relax. If I could just-" _

_ Some part of Alex understands instantly what Kelly is asking for. The possibilities bounce around in her head. Alex is still a doctor herself.  _

_ "Kelly- " _

_ "Alex please…" Kellys' voice sounds desperate, like she's tetering on some edge unknown to Alex. _

_ What else can she do? People have done messier things for women they love. In that moment there are simply no boundaries to her desire to heal Kellys pain. _

_ . . . . _

_ Alex wasn't neccesarily comfortable stealing. She wasn't against it but a nagging feeling in her brain told her this wasn't exactly the best course. Asking was not really in the cards though. _

_ She exited the elevator trying to figure out how to do this properly in her head. Lena was on the opposite side of the front desk with the lawyer and Iris there too for some reason.  _

_ "...perhaps these kinds of business ventures just aren't for you, Mr Sedgwell. It's best to know ones' place." She heard Iris telling Sedgwell as she got closer. Her tone was like a verbal slap, judging from Sedgwells expression. Lena was looking at Iris with something between pride and vague amusement as she verbally tore Sedgwell a new asshole. Alex almost wished she could of seen the rest of that conversation.  _

_ Lena leaned over whispering something to Iris. Alex could just make out Barrys name and the words, " ...so they're ready now."  _

_ Iris nodded and headed off, throwing Sedgwell a look that, honestly if looks could kill, would of meant he dropped dead right there. Alex finally was standing right behind Lena. _

_ "If you think I'm going to let you-" _

_ "I don't need your permission or agreement. " Lena cut Sedgwell off, " and I would suggest you walked out of here with some dignity before the central citizen and Catco decide to deep dive into what you were doing here on these oh so expensive research labs." _

_ Sedgwell looks halfway between an oncoming tempar-tantrum and a breakdown. Lena was exceptionally good at "rich people kung fu" still, even though she didn't particularly enjoy it. _

_ A tall slender white man in a suit and sunglasses approach them, heading for Sedgwell. He leaned down whispering something to Sedgwell.  _

_ "This isn't over." Sedgwell insisted as he turned heading out with the man. _

_ Lena scoffed as Sedgwell walked off. "Over-entitled, arrogant, rich, selfish, jackass." _

_ Alex could not have agreed more. She had some other unpleasant words she would have used but the feeling was the same. _

_ "Thank you Lahiru." Lena addressed the lawyer who had been standing behind them. _

_ "Of course." He responded and Alex detected a slight accent but couldn't quite put her finger on exactly what it was.  _

_ Lena looked between Alex and Lahiru for a moment. "Alex, this is Lahiru De Silva. He's one of my personal Lawyers and he's replacing Derrickson from the team Lex had set up." _

_ Alex nodded. She had met Matthew Derrickson exactly twice. The second time had nearly ended with her knocking the mans' teeth out. The nerve of that asshole, telling Kelly, "I've never had a black chick or a lesbian before." And asking if she would sleep with him, had nearly led to Kelly herself slapping the pompous asshole. That guy was honestly too immature for her or anyone's taste. Granted he had been drunk when he said that to Kelly but Alex was not about to go with that excuse, when his preformance in his job was also sub par according to what Lena and Kelly had told her, on top of him being a grown up "fuck boi " as Lena had put it. She was inclined to think the alcohol just made him more blatant. Lahiru was already leaps and bounds above Matthew Derrickson in her book. _

_ Lena handed Lahiru a key card for a hotel room. " I set you up with a room for the night since we brought you over here with no notice. The car will be outside in 5 minutes." _

_ "You're friend mr...Dox was quite urgent when he stepped out of that…wormhole thing with that paperwork and that young lady." Lahiru laughed a bit as he recounted the events. _

_ "Brainy is quite...intense." _

_ Lahiru headed off towards the door. _

_ Alex was still bouncing around in her head, how best to do this. She really didn't wanna leave Kelly alone too long.  _

_ "Where is Nia anyways?" She asked. _

_ "She's...uhm...dismantling lab 4 on the 4th sub floor. Caitlyn should be on the 2nd or 3rd floor reviewing and helping. They should be fine. _

_ Lab 4 had been a restricted and private lab. Lynn had said basically noone but a hand full of people she had never seen before, had access. Every inch of Alex' soul wishes they could pin Sedgwell with the mess that had gone on with the involuntary experiments on some of the kids before putting them in that dimensional box. Damn plausibility deniability and wealth would likely let Sedgwell walk away with a slap on the wrist though.  _

_ Alex followed Lena towards the elevator. Her eyes shifting towards the bag that clearly contained the device she wanted, didn't go unnoticed as they stepped inside. _

_ "Lena. Look about the-" _

_ Lena shook her head. "I'm...I'm not- this is a discussion I need to have with Kelly face to face and now- now isn't really the time." _

_ Alex could respect that. _

_ "This doesn't mean you're off the hook though." Lena assured her as the elevator headed down. It stopped at sub Level 3. _

_ "I thought we were going to-" _

_ Lena gestured for her to follow.  _

_ "There's an elevator that stops here. Its stairs and a secure badge entry the rest of the way." Brainy opened the door somehow from all the way in National city. We have to walk though, Lena explained, leading her down a hall and over to a door that led to a flight of stairs. _

_ . . . . _

**_(Authors' notes: Apologizes, I hate interjecting into the flow of the story but I'm gonna drop a small content/trigger warning for something that might be considered mildly transphobic, also for mentions of death and torture. It's all gonna be fine eventually, but I can't tell you how without spoilers though. Trust me though)_ **

_ As they opened the door to lab 4, Alex could only describe it as chaos. Some things were broken, glass was smashed, and tables were flipped over. The room which looked about as large as the cafeteria at the highschool she had attended, looked like a tornado had blown through it. There were marks that looked like Nia had blasted the floor. Nia stood in the middle of the room reading some documents that seemed to contain pictures. She looked close to tears. Her hands were shaking a little. _

_ Lena sat down her bag on the table and quickly approached. Alex got closer and as they approached the reason for the mess became more apparent.  _

_ "She...she was only- only 17…" Nia was gripping a picture from the documents. The young black teen in the picture had shocking bright green eyes and dark black hair that fell in curls. There was a small cut on the young womans' neck and a bit of apparent bruising around the neck. The note next to the girls photo recorded her name as, Legal name: Andrey Dawson. Underneath in parenthesis was a clarification. It read, 'subject 57 refers to himself as 'Tasha' and responses to that name only. Subject 57 is currently 16.' The teens birthday was listed as just 4 days ago, apparently the kid had turned 17 after this file was printed.Underneath that was a long list of test that Tasha had been subjected to and under pretesting designation, the word Meta human, stood out. There was a row for 'Powers' and listed in that row was, 'self replication and body shifting. In parenthesis underneath that was a clarification stating that genetic material and samples from the subject had been collected to use to copy and splice the subjects powers onto others.Cause of death was listed as "hyper body shock" basically meaning that all the involuntary testing killed the kid. Apparently Tasha had been with them for quite a while. The testing data went back months before the Center even officially existed. Her death date was listed one day before Kelly and Iris found Hasani dead in his office. _

_ One the floor scattered around, where a bunch of other documents with pictures. The instant conclusion Alex drew was that these were the other kids that had been experimented on or basically tortured by Sedgwell for a variety of reasons. The whole thing made her sick. It was clear exactly what had set Nia off. Noone could read all that and not want to destroy this place. _

_ "Nia…" Lena reached out pulling Nia into a hug, though the idea of hugs still after all this time seemed a bit shocking to Lena herself, " its okay. This place can't hurt any kids in this city ever again. _

_ Alex rubbed Nias back, feeling slightly useless at the moment and partly anxious to still check on Kelly even while worried about Nia. The picture of Tasha looked...Familiar but she couldn't place her finger on where she had seen her. Her brain was too concerned for Kelly at that moment.  _

_ "I gotta uhm...Kelly." She whispered to Lena. _

_ Lena nodded, too distracted with Nia to question anything. Alex swallowed the burning guilt as she headed back towards the stars, stopping unnoticed to carefully slide the device out of Lenas bag. She was gonna have to explain that later, she knew but it simply didn't matter now. _

_ . . . . _

_ She had probably only been gone 30 minutes but it felt like forever. As she entered the room, Kelly seemed zone out. She looked like she was thinking and was caught in some kind of memory loop. Alex sat the device down on the table near the bed and knelt down carefully cupping Kellys' face in her hands. _

_ "Hey." _

_ "Alex…" Kelly acknowledged her presence, " I'm so-" _

_ "It's okay…" _

_ "Lena's gonna hate me. I'm-I can't-" Kelly inhaled sharply, "and I- I made you-" Kelly was rambling.  _

_ Alex climbed up onto the bed. "You didn't make me do anything." Alex assured her. That was basically true. Technically Alex could have just said no. She simply hadn't wanted to say no; Not that she wanted Kelly to use some experimental device on herself while she was emotionally compromised but it was...complicated. To be honest Kelly felt a bit shaky to Alex as she pulled her into a hug. _

_ "I love you." She whispered the words like a prayer, wishing they could slay the demons that had come to swarm Kellys' head and torment her lover. "How do we do this?" Alex asked, eyeing the device. _

_ Kelly pulled back from the hug holding out her hand as Alex grabbed the device off the table. _

_ "It uses low doses of passive Q waves tempered by Haren-el powered source to stabilize the effects." Kelly explained, sounding almost strangely calm despite her state. " I just- a small dose should relax my bodys' anxiety and let me pull myself together. I'm not-" Kelly had placed the circular receptor disc on the sides of her head as she explained this. She was staring at the controller and seemed almost lost. "Small doses...small doses…" She whispered as if to remind herself. _

_ "Kelly…" _

_ "I'm not good to anyone like this!" Kelly practically yelled this out and Alex was almost startled by the change in volume. "I can't focus like this. I don't wanna think about it...please just…" _

_ Alex reached forward with one hand, pulling Kelly back into a hug as her other hand reached out hovering over Kellys' hand that held the control. "It's okay. I'm right here with you." Her hand rested on top of Kellys, carefully. She wasn't going to stop her or push her to do it. Alex kissed Kellys' forehead leaving the decisions up to Kelly. _

_ After a moment she felt Kellys' thumb pressing the control and could sense Kellys' body relaxing in her arms. After about 3 or 4 minutes of letting this happen, she looked down, carefully reached down turning off the device. Kelly seemed almost drowsy; A bit sleeper and calmer. She breathed a sigh of relief, reaching up to take the receptor disc off the side of Kellys' head and letting her Kelly lay down. _

_ A knocking at the door, nearly startled her. KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK  _

_ "It's me." Iris' voice called from the other side of the door. _

_ Alex grabbed the Neural pacifier hopping off the bed and shoved it into her own bag quickly. _

_ "Come in. " She invited Iris in. _

_ Iris opened the door slowly, stepping inside. She seemed almost nervous. Kelly was calm, restful but awake on the bed. Alex didn't want to leave Kelly. That wasn't happening. She could practically feel an on coming talk between Kelly and Iris though. She wasn't sure what exactly had happened but she had gotten the vibe that something had happened. Iris had been almost defective when she told Alex earlier that Kelly wasn't with her, when she found her at the warehouse after she was attacked by that jackass. _

_ "Barrys' resting. He- he burned himself out shorting out the…" She gestured vaguely indicating the trans-demensional box. " I was so scared he had-" her voice was a little shaky with the recounting.  _

_ "Iris…" Kelly was looking up at Iris with a mix of surprise and gratitude.  _

_ Alex stepped back, looking between Kelly and Iris. She nodded, moving to let them have a moment for whatever this was. Alex stepped around Iris to the chair across the room in the corner and sat down. _

_ "I needed- I wanted to check on you after-" _

_ "I'm- Iris I-" _

_ Iris sat down on the edge of the bed. "You don't have to apolo-" _

_ "No. I- it's not okay I- I didn't mean- I was just...I'm so-" Kelly explained.  _

_ Alex watched this exchange from where she sat. If she hadn't known better she would have thought they were making up after a break up. _

_ "My mind wasn't right. I- It wasn't your fault." _

_ "I shouldn't have pushed so hard. I Shoulda-" Iris rushed to take all the blame. _

_ "You were just protecting me. I just- I lashed out." _

_ Kelly sat up a bit in the bed as they talked. _

_ Alex was just watching, from where she sat in the corner. This emotional cleanse they were having over whatever argument they were discussing seemed fine. Kelly wasn't in any distress. She seemed calm though both women kept cutting eachother off to try and blame themselves for all this. It was sweet and friendly and she honestly appreciated the connection and friendship Iris and Kelly had peace together in the past few months. _

_ "I was- Iris, me hurting doesn't mean that it's okay for me to make you hurt emotionally too." _

_ "I was already blaming myself anyway. I was wrong-" _

_ "No. You weren't...at least not completely. Your investigation saved those kids...and Selik." Kelly assured Iris. She sounded so rational and clear. Alex was almost shocked from where she sat. _

_ There was a moment then where it seemed like they almost wanted to hug, but they both hesitated, smiling softly at each other. _

_ Alex stood up sensing this conversation coming to a natural close. _

_ "Let me let you rest."  _

_ Kelly nodded and the air seemed cleared between them as Iris stood and moved towards the door. She looked over at Alex as Alex sat down in a chair near the bed and Alex could only nod. This was good. _

_ After Iris left, Kelly yawned. The sleepiness she had been holding back came upon her full force. _

_ "Alex…" _

_ "Just rest…I'm not going anywhere. I'll be right here when you wake up." She assured Kelly, resting her own head on the bed as she held Kellys hand. _

_ . . . . _

**_(Present)_ **

Alex lay there awake as she heard the door open. Nia was slipping into the room with a small folding chair in hand. Kara was right behind her, followed by lena. Kara opened the small folding chair she had herself and sat down, pulling Lena onto her lap. She security blanket provided by everyone, soothe her in a way she couldn't quite name and allowed her to slip back into rest.

  
  


. . . .

  
  


**_To be continued in next chapter: Missing pieces._ **

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	11. MISSING PIECES ( Untold stories and great escapes)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nia and Anissa find someone they had presumed dead. More information about Hasanis involvement is revealed

Shadow Games 5

Chapter: Missing Pieces

Authors' notes: Okay, this Chapter is gonna be a little messy. You are gonna learn some interesting news here involving the Shadow Hand organization and Hasani. 

Authors notes 2: A lot of this is Tasha, and Nia PoV. 

Authors' Notes 3: I know you guys want more details and background on the shadow hand and this chapter will give you some of that. Be patient. This is important. 

TW: Murder, Emotional abuse, involuntary experimentation/Torture, conversation therapy ( although its less that Shadow hand and the doctors are doing that and more that Tashas dad thought they would " fix his son" so its conplicated but also the doctor running test is an evil b*tch) Crude language and theft. Nia sorta says or implies something rather potentially aweful in this chapter but tbc, she's not condoning out right murder when she says it. TW for...its hard to explain but Tasha kinda has what you might call an "episode" triggered by trauma. Trigger warning for a sorta rape threat, although tbh clear Vincent isn't being serious but he's and aweful murderous person so, its aweful either way. A lot of messed of stuff is done by the villains in this chapter tbh.

By: PhenomenalBrat 

Nia looked up, yawning as she sat up in her chair. James' chair was empty. He had already slipped out earlier and everyone else seemed to have slipped out. The small tapping at the door happened again and she got out of her seat to answer it, assuming it was someone who simply didn't want to disturb them. She was surprised the light in the room, pouring in with the daylight hours' hadn't woken everyone.

She opened the door to find Anissa standing there in just some blue Jeans and a white t-shirt. She did not appear to have slept much, though she still looked somehow clean and refreshed. 

"Hey. There's- uhm I came to let yall know there's a complication with one if the kids."

"Complication?"

"She's- yall had her listed as dead."

Nias' mind jolts awake. There were only 4 out of about 30 of the kids they found listed in the files, that they had declared Missing and only 2 that had been out right listed as deceased. One was DeMarcus Pearson and the other… was Tasha Dawson. Nias' still felt a twisting rage when she recalled seeing the video they had. She really should not have watched it, when Lena asked her to check and cataloge things in lab 4.

. . . .

(Two hour before Alex and Lena get to lab 4)

Nia did not recommend skipping sleep. She used to but she really didn't recommend it. Brainy had Portaled into her apartment out of nowhere and told her they needed to get to the others. It was all very confusing since earlier, he had been insisting that the trans-demensional box energy was interfering with the portal watches stability, when he called her. When she asked where Lena was, the only answers she had gotten were him saying, "she came back but the watch is working so she left again. It was urgent. Time is short. Suit up. I found the contract." He had rambled all this information out. 

She suited up in record time, by her estimation and he grabbed her hand, pulling her along with him as he dragged them both headlong through the portal to somewhere else. She didn't bother commenting on all the mess he had made. It was almost cute how focused he was. 

The trip to grab that lawyer had just added a new layer of complication on top of everything. By the time they stepped out of the portal in...the Wellness center, her stomach was hurting. 

He had assured her that "everyone will be here soon" after that the brief rundown of "missing kids being experimented on" had filled in enough blanks for her as she recalled the attack in Central city a little while back. She had been itching to dig more into whomever was behind this all.

Lena had come off an elevator and told Nia they were, "taking the hospital" and getting Kelly a room. The news of Kelly being stabbed was another strike against whoever was behind this, in Nias' book.

"Dreamer, I need you to help cataloge some stuff in lab 4. I trust you over any Doctor in her right now" Lena had told her, careful not to use her real name in front of this Lawyer they had dragged along with them.

"Good, I'm off. I need to get back to monitoring from the tower." He told her, kissing her on the cheek before leaving again.

"We really need to talk to him about using that watch so much, " Lena commented dryly, looking at the mess of papers blown around in the wake of the portal.

( Authors notes: This is gonna be one of those things, I TW yall about earlier. Let me be very clear, so there is no confusion. Remember how Iris watched those tapes earlier? Nia is about to watch perhaps even worse versions of similar tapes, with a very sad and potentially triggering added twist involving DeMarcus and Tasha. There's elements of conversation rhetoric and descriptions of what can only be called torture)

So here she was, standing in the middle of this large lab. It was so weirdly sterile and clean it almost seemed fake. Her skin was crawling though as her sixth sense perhaps picked up remnants of the energy of something bad happening in the room.

There were tables with restraints attached and empty glass beaker on shelves. The walls had tv monitors on 2 sides and in the corner was an old school file cabinet. Next to the file cabinet, was a small desk with a labtop on it. It was plugged into the wall. Next to the desk, about ten feet away, was a cage. It was around one of the tables with restraints attached. As Nia walked closer she noticed some tiny spattering of blood in the table. There were also about two dozen pictures laying flat on the table and she looked down; all young black kids ranging from probably 11 on some of the younger ones, up to maybe 18 on some of the older ones. A stack of papers was next to the pictures.

Against her better judgement perhaps, she reached out to the laptop that was still on and a screen popped up. It had two options; Playback, or record. She pressed playback.

A video popped up dated about 8 months ago. A young woman was laying on a table strapped down by some restraints. A collar on her neck was glowing with a green light. She was struggling as a petite white woman with short brown hair, in a white lab coat, made notes. 

Wherever they were, was different from the lab Nia was in currently but that didn't stop the feeling Nia had, like her brain was frying or short circuiting. The set up of the room in the video was nearly identical to the room Nia sat in anyway. 

"Andrey, listen." The doctor in the video said.

"Tasha." The kid on the bed answered back. Her voice sounded, raspy, dry and a bit strained, like she was dehydrated.

"Your gifts will be of more use to us, once these delusions are done away with. We've already made progress sharing your gifts with our own people. You should feel proud Andrey."

The woman on the lab coat pulled a device from her pocket and pressed a button. The collar on the young womans' neck turned red and she seized up, thrashing, screaming for a moment; straining her voice involuntarily at the obvious pain.

The sound of the door opening brought a new voice with it.

"Is mister Dawson ready for an extraction?" The voice asked and then the camera shifted pointed towards the door, following a man in black slacks and a white button up, wearing a long over coat, as he walked across the floor.

Nia watched the video, recognizing the man as the one who had attacked Kelly during the convention. Kelly had told her about everything that happened in Central city, including showing her the news clipping from Freeland. She had burned the information onto her brain out of concern.

Back in the video, The man reached the cage where Tasha was being held. He stopped in front of it.

"If mister Dawson persist in acting like a girl, perhaps he should, suck my-"

"Vincent, now is not the time for vulgar jokes."

"I wasn't being serious. You know that's not my style. I'm a man of class." The man identified as Vincent responded. " We need another sample." He stated plainly.

"We would not need any samples at all if you people would give me time to make the child of use to us." The women in the lab coat sighed before pressing another button on the remote which ended whatever was causing Tashas' pain and left the Teen limp and near whimpering on the bed. "Mom…" Tasha whispered, sounding like she was praying.

The lady in the lab coat, walked over to a tray of needles sat on one of the tables nearby. She grabbed one for drawing blood. 

Nia watched the video with increasing horror as her brain put together the pieces very quickly. She was smarter and more aware than people sometimes gave her credit for. They were torturing a trans black teen. That was obvious. Period. In Nias' mind, that much was clear.

The video continued. 

"Any enhancements to report?" He asked.

The woman in the lab coat paused as though thinking for a moment. She pulled out the controller again and pressed a button. " Andrey came to us already gifted so it was much easier. His DNA is stable unlike others."

The collar on Tashas' neck turned yellow. A double of Tasha...shimmered??? Into existence as though separating from a merge. The double was taller though, and definitely thinner, more feminine in apparence really. The doubles was about a foot away from where Tasha lay bound to the table, but did not move.

"The correct electronic pulses seemed to create a disconnect between Andrey and the double so he can't control the double, allowing for a potential blank slate puppet, if we can compel him to sustain it longer. The problem is this delusion he suffers from which renders his doubles useless currently as tools." 

"Tasha" Tasha whispered the name into the air, as if trying to remind herself. 

The woman in the lab coat pressed the button again, forcing Tasha to produce another double.

"We can currently get up to 3 out of him. Each has slight variations. The body shifting seems to be a latent part of the self cloning." The doctor pressed the button again and the color turned red. The clones shimmered and merged back into Tasha, who was tensed up on the bed in pain. Finally, almost like a mercy, Tasha lost conciousness and the collar turned green again as the woman in the lab coat pressed the button.

She pressed another button and the cage door popped open on its own. She stepped inside with the needle and drew blood from Tashas' right arm. Stepping back out, she released the blood into 3 separate valves and put them into a small cushioned case.

"Thank you Doctor Qualar." Vincent thanked the woman, identifying her as someone named Dr Qualar.

" Of course. Now, when will the next subject be arriving?"

Vincent pocketed the small box in his long over coat. " Mr Pearson is right outside. His parents thought they were sending him to a church bible camp." Vincent laughed a bit. "These types of people are so gullible."

Vincent walked off towards the door and the camera followed him. As he got close to the door, it opened, admitting in a white male doctor with grey and black hair. He was wearing Khaki slacks and a blue shirt. Behind him, 2 men in sunglasses and black suits entered, dragging a young slender black man between then. The teen in their grasp was clearing no older than 16. His hair was braided close to the scalp. He had on blue jeans and a red button up shirt that was clearly a little big on him. Around his neck he wore a collar just like the one Tasha had. He was struggling some as they attempted to move him.

"Stop resisting." Vincent ordered the young man as he walked past him. 

"Fuck you!" The young man spat out, though it didn't sound like something he would normally say.

"Such vulgar language," Vincent criticized the young man as he stepped out of the room.

The men in black dragged the young man to a table next to where the needles were, so he was two tables away from the cage. 

One of the men pulled out a remote, and pressed a button making the young man's collar glow red, caused him enough pain to subdue him and tie him to the table. Finally the button was pressed to turn the collar green again. He handed the control to Doctor Qualar.

The older doctor walked over and handed Doctor Qualar a clip board with something on it. 

"Can you take care of checking this one in? I need to make an apparence at a fundraiser." He explained 

Doctor Qualar nodded, reading the information on the clipboard.

The young man on the table turned and looked towards the cage as he came down from all the pain.

"Tasha!" He screams, "Tasha!"

This video was a horror show. The more Nia watched, the more she could practically feel herself shaking.

Tasha woke up groggy, lying still for a moment as the young man continued to call her name.

"Quiet." Doctor Queller ordered

Tasha turned her head and saw the young man on the other Table.

"Marcus. Is-?"

"Are you okay? I've been looking every-"

Doctor Qualar looked between the two for a moment before interrupting. " DeMarcus. Mr Pearson, it seems you are about to create mild to medium level green electric blast which can be potentially weaponized."

"I'm gonna get you outta here," Marcus vowed, though that seemed quite unlikely. 

"Marcus…" Tasha sounded devastated, almost close to breaking.

"This is an interesting development. " Doctor Qualar noted.

The video cut off then. Nia was glad for the reprieve. She was shaking. Every fear and anxiety and nightmare she had ever had felt like it had been played out before her, magnified times ten. Her brain for some twisted reason imagined a similar scenario when Lockwood had her and Brainy and the levels Brainy had needed to go through to get them out. It could if all gone so wrong though, so easily.

On the screen it split into 2. One side was labeled 'Andrey Dawson ' for Tasha and numbered her as subject 57. It had options for probably 100 videos dating over the past 10 months, all the way up to about 4 or 5 days ago. The other side labeled DeMarcus Pearson, numbered him as subject 63 and had videos labled and dated back months. His column cut off about a week before Tashas. 

It was like some twisted train wreck of depraved inhumanity. She didn't want to look but some part of her hoped that somehow there was some sign of this kid being alright.

Underneath the two columns was a button on the screen that was labled 57& 64 tandems evaluations. She pressed it.

There were about 25 videos on this next screen. Her eyes scrolled over the dates, stopping at one dated about one week before the attack on the Conference in Central city. Nia was honestly terrified. She was beyond disturbed by the video and truth be told, she was holding back the scream she could feel building. She pressed play against her better judgement. 

The video popped up. Tasha was tied to a chair with some kinda device around her head that looked like the cerebro machine from X-men. They were definitely in the lab 4 room in the Wellness center in this video. The collar around Tashas neck was Green, so at least she wasn't being zapped with pain. Marcus was on the floor in front of where Tasha was tied to the chair. One of his legs was chained to the floor, likely to prevent an escape attempt. 

There were cords and wires on the top of the thing on Tashas' head. The wires went straight up about 5 feet, to a loop handing from the ceiling, through two other loops and down to the floor where they were connected to the cuffs on Marcus' wrist.

Nia watched with a dreaded sinking feeling. Her brain could already see where this was going though she hoped to any deity in existence that she was wrong.

"Please don't-" Nia whispered at the screen as the video played out.

"Today's task is very simple. DeMarcus I simply need you to create a concentrated mid level electric pulse to be channeled through the cuffs. We need your gifts refined for an upcoming task."

"You're insane." Marcus told the doctor as he looked at the cuffs then at the cords and at Tasha.

Doctor Qualar sighed before reaching into her pocket and pulling out a remote. Instead of activating Marcus' collar though, she set of Tashas' Tasha seized up in the chair screaming.

"Mr Pearson, science is a driving force. " Qualar spoke casually, still not releasing Tasha from the effects of the Collar. "We are trying to help young Andrey enhance the natural gifts bestowed upon him. Our synthetic electric pulses have plate in terms of compelling a growth in cloning. We have theorized that the specific energy wave of your blast, filtered through this device while bridge the gap and allow power growth and teach you to sharpen your gifts before the next extraction." Doctor Qualar finished her sales pitch and released Tasha from the effects.

"Tasha! Ta are you okay?" Marcus was frantically shouting

"The best way to help your friend is to follow instructions. " 

Tasha seemed lost and unfocused for a few moments before she pulled herself together. 

"Marcus, do what she says before she hurts you. Please-"

"Nothing they do can-"

Doctor Qualar seemed to be growing annoyed. She pulled out another controller and activated Marcus' collar.

"Stop! Stop it! Leave him alone please. What do you want me to do? Tasha was yelling, begging as Marcus thrashed around.

"All you both need to do is comply with these simple tests and enhancements. " Doctor Qualar instructed. " Listen children, I can't promise to make all your dreams come true but if you care about eachothers lives then compliance is your only option.

Nia had turned the video off. She couldn't watch anymore. She pushed the laptop to the floor as stress and a prickly anxiety burned through her body. She turned around and grabbed the stack of papers and scooped up the pictures walking back to the middle of the lab. She flipped through the papers and found Marcus paper reading an extensive list of tests they proformed and his cause of death. She just had no words. She kept flipping to find Tasha. She probably shouldn't have. Reading the form and the drowning weight of at least 24 other forms of other teens, plus the knowledge that this room was the setting for that…

Nia felt like she was out of her body. She heard a scream and it must have been her. Next thing she knew, she had dropped all the papers and she was blasting that putrid cage, the tables, smashing beakers, flipping tables, knocking over anything. Everything felt like it was spinning until Alex and Lena were entering the room with her. Then Lena was pulling her into a hug. She didn't know where to begin to explain all the wrongs that had happened. She saw Alex take something from Lenas bag that she left on one of the tables Nia had missed in her unexpected breakdown, but thought nothing of it then.

. . . .

(Present)

Nia looked back into the room at the others still resting. Kara seemed less asleep though and more like she was just being a girlfriend pillow for Lena.

"I'll check it out. We can report back to your mom or Lena as some as we get it all cleared up.

Anissa nodded and led the way to the elevators, taking them up one floor.

"So like we all talked about last night, the kids are all in the rooms on floor number 8." We didn't even realize, until we were walking through taking names. Kid gave her name as Tasha. She's pretty shook up though. Doctors are checking over all the kids now."

Nia sped up walking then. "Are you 100% sure?"

"Positived"

As they neared a room at the end of the hall, they heard yelling and the sound of something falling. Anissa and Nia ran into the room.

Tasha was...alive? She was sitting on the floor with her back pressed against a wall. She looked terrified and shaky. Her eyes flickered between hazel honey brown and electric green and she seemed like she was actively stopping herself from creating a double.

Standing a few feet away from her, was a doctor. The man wore a grey sweater and slacks. He looked to be in his late 30s. The sweater seemed like he had purposely bought it a size too small too. Nia didn't like to pre judge but he seemed like one of those fake ass dude bro types that wanted to make sure people saw the results of his work out. His dark black hair was slicked back and he looked like he had tanned on a nice beach. He wasn't bad looking. 

The fact that this dude didn't seem self aware enough to comprehend the harm and stress his actions were clearly causing Tasha, as he stood there holding a needle, was getting on Nias nerves though.

"what is going on?" Anissa bluntly asked.

"The patient is hysterical. I was brought in to sedate…" He looked at Tashas chart for 2 seconds, then looked at Tasha confused but clearly not caring, and continued, "Andrey...Kid flew off the handle and- Doctor Pierce is not of any-"

"That's not my name." Tasha whispered from where she still sat.

"Who are you anyways?" The man asked

"Anissa Pierce!" Anissa shot back, clearly annoyed.

The man deflated a bit. "Look this kid is obviously not well. I'm following the charts. We don't have time to indulge every fantasy within a fantasy these teens have-"

Nia was tired of listening to this self absorbed, shortsighted, unaware man, speak with no regard for anything but his own ego. "Shut up." She told him plainly. 

"Excuse me?"

"You're making things worse. She doesn't need to be sedated."

A moment of Tense silence hung in the air. Then Lynn appeared at the doorway. She had clearly been up all night.

She looked at Tasha on the floor and Anissa and Nia then shifted her glance to the Doctor. She looked annoyed to see him.

"What's going on? I heard noise from down the hall?" 

"She doesn't need to be sedated." 

"She just needs air."

"Mom-"

"Look- 

"Doctor Nyore, I think we can handle this. Your help is not needed here." Lynn told the man, clearing dismissing him. He huffed a bit as he walked past them to the door 

After he left Lynn let out a sigh of frustration. " That guy has been here just a few weeks and thinks he should be head doctor or something. "

Nia was watching Tasha carefully. She seemed to have calmed down now that Doctor Nyore had left. Nia took a few steps forward, kneeling down onto the ground but not invading Tashas' space.

"Tasha?" Nia waited as Tasha looked at her, then at Anissa and Lynn, then back at her. " Hi. I'm- I'm Nia."

Nias' brain was bouncing around between the things she'd seen on that tape versus the recording of Tashas' death versus Tasha being alive in front of her too.

"Mom, I think we got this." Anissa told Lynn.

"Page me if you need anything. I need to talk to Lena, the lawyers and the staff."

Lynn left and it was Just the three of them in the room now.

"Am I in trouble?" Tasha asked.

"No. You're not in trouble.' Nia assured her.

"We're just not sure what's goin on." Anissa admitted. 

"Tasha listen. I'm not gonna let anyone inject you with anything or touch you or hurt you okay. I promise." Nia knew it was probably extra to promise all that, but she felt almost instinctively protective of Tasha.

"We are gonna need to contact your parents." Anissa explained.

"Mom...just mom." Tasha whispered.

Nia repressed the urge to hug this kid. They were strangers and uninvited touching would probably just make things worse for Tasha right now.

"Tasha, I know you've been through hell believe me." Nia assured the other young woman. " Can you-? Are you able to walk us through everything that happened? They had you listed as...de- as gone"

Tasha stared off, seemingly thinking for a moment as tears welled up in her eyes.

"They- Marcus…" Her voice faltered at the name and Nia understood why. " Then doctor Jonson, save me. I thought they would- I didn't mean to. Please-"

Anissa stepped forward a little. "Hey, it's okay. You're not in any trouble."

"Yes I am…" Tasha seemed to be bordering on panic.

"Tasha listen. I made you a promise. Noone is gonna hurt you without having to go through me. Just tell me what happened. "

"I - I killed her. I murdered-" Tasha whispered.

"Murdered? "

"Doctor Qualar. " Tasha explained. She seems noticeably shakey now, more so than before.

. . . .

( Tasha)

"What?" Nia asked, seeming more Confused than mad or judging.

Tasha felt inexplicably at ease with her which surprised her considering the last few months.

"Tasha, it's okay. Just...just start from the beginning if you can." Nia told her.

"My world caved about 11 months ago…" Tasha started to explain. 

. . . .

( Roughly 11 months ago)

Tasha walked along the sidewalk by the park smiling. A few feet behind her, DeMarcus followed along, reading a book she had given him. 

"So...you're gonna tell your rents then?" He asked as he closed the book and slipped it onto the side of his messenger bag.

"I'm surprised they haven't noticed over the past two years. I'm- I'm not hiding it. " Tasha shrugged

She looked over at Marcus who was watching her as they walked off the sidewalk, cutting through the grass and heading up a hill towards, what Marcus had affectionately dubbed, "This is our spot" underneath a large tree. It was where she came out to him and were he kissed her and said, " well, is this you agreeing to dinner with me, or…" before he had smiled, shrugged and leaned in to kiss her. Marcus was just so relaxed and unphased by everything. It was almost a shock to just have someone understand instantly. Marcus was cute too, in a endearing "black and nerdy" kinda way that Tasha found attractive. 

They finally reached the tree and Tasha pulled off the oversized sweater she had been wearing put it on the grass as a makeshift blanket. Marcus, laid down with his head resting on the shirt. Tasha laid down next to him, resting her head on his chest.

"I'm gonna tell them soon. Its not as if I'll be able to lie forever anyways."

"It will be fine. I just feel like things will work out." Marcus declared as the watched yhe clouds in the sky.

"Hey Tash, watch this." He raised up his hand that was glowing with green electrical sparks. " I've been working on my aim." 

Marcus fire a bolt from his finger tip, up into the air. It went straight up before snapping like fireworks.

"Marcus! " Tasha looked around almost frantically making sure no one else had seen. " Someone might-"

"Relax. Noone us around here but us. Its fine. That was pretty cool huh. Like Blacklightning but without the seventies disco look…" He joked. 

Tasha relaxed again. "We're just lucky they beat that abduction government group, " she sighed.

"I couldn't taken those people too."

"You can't even take me." Tasha tossed back teasing Marcus' bravado.

"Well...maybe we could take them."

"We still need to see if we can take my parents." 

Marcus jokingly referring to that as " the next great hurdle" had made Tasha laugh but also made her reconsider the idea of dragging Marcus into this. Her brain had turned with the growing power to do this herself and spare him.

. . . .

(Present)

"Tasha...oh my god." Nia whispered. She seemed to be thinking of some personal trauma of her own from what Tasha could see.

"So Sedgwells' people captured you two?" Anissa asked.

"No." Tasha whispered. Her stomach was twisted in knot and she still felt the terror burn down her spine as she finally admitted the mind numbing truth out loud. "My dad-my dad gave me- he let them have me."

"What?!" Nia asked, tensing up. She sounded pissed.

"It was about a month after I came out to him. He kicked me out and tried to flush my pills. Mom brought me back though. I thought it was gonna be okay. It- I just didn't want to accept the feeling when my own flesh and blood-"

Nia visibly flinches at that statement and Tasha is hit by curiousity as to what demons the other woman has faced. 

. . . .

(Roughly 10 months ago)

Tasha couldn't sleep. It was quiet in the house but her nap was not forth coming. There was a definite layer of tension in the air that had been there ever since her mom brought her back to the house after her dad had tossed her out. She still remembered the tears as her moms' car had pulled up in front of the shelter. 

Tasha had been sitting on the sidewalk in front. She didn't want to get Marcus into the mess she had gotten herself into even when he said they should just run away together. She hadn't really had any other plan though, so her mom coming to rescue her was a god sent gift, if ever she did believe in those. 

Her school work and clothes were scattered around the room. She lay in bed in just sweat pants and a tank top. Her hair was down, loose and out of braids as she'd gotten more comfortable just letting it be that way. Without the heavy sweaters and oversize shirts she had been wearing excessively over the pass few months, the changes in her look became more obvious. There's was no reason to torture herself with possible heat stroke now that her 'Rents knew.

Mom would or should be home around 630, maybe 7. Dad...he was distant. He sorta seemed like he was trying but he still called her Andrey and sometimes just stared passed her like he was thinking. Tasha just was burnt out.

The knock on the door to her room was...a bit startling. Before she could fully awake to respond though, the door was opened, unlocked by her Dad. He stood in the doorway holding something in his hand that looked like a dog collar. Behind him was two white guys in sunglasses.

"It's best if you handle this part." One of the guys told her dad.

He looked down at the collar thing in his hand and then back at the men. " Is this-"

"It's totally harmless. Standard procedure in unique cases. I assure you."

He nodded and stepped into the room.

"Andrey." He called out as he walked towards the bed.

Tasha sat up with every instinct in her body, railing in on coming fight or flight mode. Her dad sat down on the bed. She heard a whooshing or clicking sound from the thing that looked like a dog collar.

"Dad...wha-"

"Your ill son. I- though these were gifts." He leaned close to her, seeming to almost be crying as he whispered, " For your mother it was a gift. It's a curse for people like us though." Moving quickly, he snapped the collar around her neck. "There's a place that's gonna help you. "

Tasha panicked, her eyes shifting to green as she reached towards her powers only to feel a migraine pressing in her head as the collar around her neck glowed greenish and then yellow. 

Her dad pulled her out of bed. 

"We need to take 'em" One the men in black with the sunglasses said. " The clinic director will be by soon to talk to you."

"Dad! Dad!" Tasha screamed then, her brain not wanting to accept the reality of what was happening. 

"You're not gonna hurt him right? Just help." Her dad asked.

The man in black nodded as they dragged her out. " Don't worry, this is part of the process. We will contact you with updates on everything soon. "

She started screaming and one of the men covered her mouth as they took her down the stairs and out the back door of her house.

. . . .

(Present)

"...After that it was...everything was just pain for an endless amount of time. I felt so disconnected. It was labs and stark blank rooms and...and the box…" Tasha whispered. 

"Tasha…"

"This is all my fault." Anissa cut in. " I should of put things together faster. "DeShawn told me Marcus was gone and…" She shook her head…

Tasha could feel her eyes burning with tears at the mention of Marcus' name.

"Tasha, how did you-?"

This was the explanation she'd been dreading having to give.

"Doctor Hasani...they...they were making him evaluate some of us for mental stability or the past few weeks. He...a few days ago he- he saved me."

. . . .

(Roughly 40 minutes after Kelly left Hasanis' office. Approximately 12 hours before Kelly and Iris find Hasani dead)

Tasha turned her head looking over towards the door as it opened. She was strapped to one of the tables. Mr. Vincent entered the room with Dr Hasani trailing behind him. Doctor Hasani seemed distracted and uncomfortable. He always seemed uncomfortable though and it had become clear in the past few weeks that he was just as much a victim and prisoner unwillingly dragged her as any of them were. 

" The kids borderline lunatic status again. Do your thing, Mr Jonson." Vincent ordered, though he smiles apparently trying to seem charming.

Doctor Hasani, well actually his title was Doctor Jonson but he told her Hasani was fine, the first time he saw her about 5 weeks ago, stepped over towards her.

"I'll be back." Vincent told Hasani."Cameras watching anyways." He stopped by the door and looked back at Hasani. " The prototype is ready. It's on the other table. Hurry along Doctor Jonson."

He stepped out of the room and Tasha was instantly relieved or at least as relieved as she could get in her position.

"Tasha, is everything-?" He paused. "That's a stupid question. I'm sorry." He sighed. " I'm so sorry."

He walked over to the table next to her grabbing some kind of small device with two metal disc that seemed hastily attached to two wires. The device looked like it had been hastily put together recently.

Doctor Hasani shook his head as though annoyed. "Madness." He mumbled as he moved back over to wear she was.

Tasha didn't really care what they did to her at this point. Everything had felt like a roller coaster of blunted pain since Marcus… she couldn't. 

"Marcus...is he-?" She whispers the question.

Hasani looked down. "Tasha...I'm- I don't know what to say." After a moment he continued. " Things- Life is-"

He attached the tiny metal disc of the device to the sides of her head, and leans in close to her apparently adjusting the disc.

"Just relax. I promise this will be okay." he whispered as he's leaned in adjusting the disc and then Tasha feels a sharp prick very quickly like she's been poked.

"It's gonna be okay. " he's whispering now, "find Keke when you can." She feels like everything is starting to spin and go dark."

"Wait…" she whimpers, totally terrified.

"I'm sorry." He says, and he taps the button on the device. She doesn't feel anything happening from the device. She still feels like she's sinking though, like everything is slowly to a halt.

Vaguely she can hear Doctor Hasani yelling for help. 

"Something is wrong! Help!" He yells.

A few seconds later she vaguely hears the door open and the sound of doctor Qualar yelling, " what the-"

"The device has triggered some kinda Toxic shock...or-" Doctor Hasani sounded frantic. 

Everything went completely dark then.

. . . .

Tasha awoke on a table. She wasn't sure how much time had passed. Her head felt groggy and shaky though. She couldn't really move. She heard a voice, the doctor, Doctor Qualar again. She shut her eyes, trying not to give too much away.

"What a waste of perfectly good product and DNA." Doctor Qualar complained. 

Of course she would think of real life people as products to be used and consumed, Tasha thought. It hit her then, that they thought she was dead. Doctor Hasani had...he had faked her death! She could go. She just had to…

"Screw procedure. I'm not wasting this specimen. " Doctor Qualar said.

Tasha heard a noise like a blade being pulled out of something. She still couldn't move though. She was terrified. On instinct, she pushed out from herself manifesting one of her clones into existence just as The blade was pressing into her side, drawing blood.

Her eyes opened as she watched her clone grab Doctor Qualars' arm and stop her. Then they were fighting over the blade, struggling as Qualar realized that Tasha was awake.

"Oh good. Looks like we won't lose our test subject after all," Qualar said as she pushed the clone off and stood up. The knife was still in her hand. "For all the trouble you cause though…"

Tashas clones tackled Doctor Qualar to the ground, then. Tasha could feel her body regaining motion as was able to wiggle her toes then and the overall heaviness slowly lifted.

"Stop!" Tashas' clone yelled as Doctor Qualar kicked at her and stood back up, or at least tried to. 

"I'm not letting a delusional child kill me." Doctor Qualar spat out.

The clone grabbed the knife that had fallen, lunging at Doctor Qualar and stabbing recklessly and desperately, cutting the woman's throat.

There was blood all over the place. Tasha was nearly in a fear induced panic as she looked around at her clone. She sat up slowly. Her heart pounded in her chest. She had...she had just killed someone. Nothing even felt real then. The sound of the door opening flooded her body with dread.

She heard the voice of Mr Vincent. " Hurry up." He said. Then Doctor Hasani was shoved into the room and the door closed behind him.

Doctor Hasani, looked over the room, seeming downcast as he held some papers in his hand. Then his eyes landed on where Tasha was. His eyes widened as he noted Doctor Qualar on the floor and the blood everywhere.

. . . .

(Present)

Tasha cried then. She felt the surprising feeling of Nia pulling her carefully and slowly into a hug.

"I didn't mean to...I'm so sorry. Please- "

"It's okay." Nia tells her. " You didn't do anything wrong.

"I killed someone." Tasha is nearly whimpering and verbally begging for some kind of absolution in that moment. 

"You defended your life against people who abused you for months." Nia tells her with absolute certainty and conviction.

"I'm so sorry. " Tashas' still crying as Nia hugs her. It's been forever since anyone actually held her and showed her this kind of compassion and her body and soul and drinking it in, despite hardly knowing Nia at all.

"It doesn't matter. They tortured you. They deserved it."

"Nia-" Anissa says, then she paused and shrugged. " Okay you're right but still…"

Tasha is shocked, to not be receiving judgement or recrimination 

"Tasha, I've gone to some pretty dark places myself. I honestly almost killed a transphobic troll jackass that I had to deal with. Only my friend interfering stopped me then. You were- you were alone and fighting for your life." Nia pulled back from the hug, and wiped some tears from Tashas' face. "Screw that Doctor and Sedgwell. "

"You won't get any judgement from me." Anissa Said. "Part of me thinks we need to stop letting mass murdering assholrs walk free to harm more people. I bust heads. " she shrugged.

"Here, let's get you up in the bed. You rest and we'll take care of this paper work stuff. Okay?" Nia told her, as she helped her up onto the bed. 

Nia..Nia was like her. Tashas' brain connected the dots from what Nia had told her. She nodded in gratitude.

Nia and Anissa left the room, talking about paperwork and contacting family. Tasha didn't have the energy for much more then, as she laid her head down to let rest take her.

To be continued in next chapter...


	12. Missing Pieces (Justifiable Anger)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When The shadow hand attempts to rekidnap Tasha then Nia and Anissa toe a violent line and an expected reunion leaves Tasha hurting and Iris brimming with disgust.

Authors Notes: we're picking up right where last chapter left off. A03 simply wouldn't let me post it all as one chapter. 

(Nia)

The whole day had been spent checking files, fixing paperwork and eating. She had stopped in to check on Tasha twice more just to be sure. Kara helped her take more stuff down in the lab. She felt much calmer than she had the night before. Part of her still wanted to just blast the whole place apart but she reigned in that impulse. There wasn't any benefit to her flying off the handle right then anyway.

A long phone call with Brainy and some intense over the phone,  'i love you"  had gone a long way to helping cool her pain as her mind replayed everything she had seen and heard from Tasha. Brainy had literally listened to her vent and ramble for 30 minutes. He was a god tier boyfriend to her. That though, just left her more devastated for Tasha as she grasped the gravity of how intense lossing Marcus was going to hit her later.

. . . .

Nia sat in the lunchroom staring down at her plate with the sandwich she'd only taken two bites out of. She could focus on anything but Tasha and the messed up situation. Part of her just wanted to find Sedgwell and stomp on his throat, though she knew Kara would have said that was wrong. Everything in her soul just hurt so much for Tasha and the rest of the kids too right now. She was almost antsy feeling like she wasn't doing enough. 

She pulled out her phone, dialing Brainy. After about two rings her answered.

"Nia." She could hear the smile in his voice as he answered.

"Hey." She sighed into the phone. 

"What's wrong?" He asked as he clearly picked up on the emotional quo and inflection in her voice.

"It's nothing…"

"Nia…" despite what she said, he could hear the distress in her voice and she was sure had he been there to see her, that her body language would of given away everything as she practically sagged where she sat.

"The kids are safe, everything's being reordered, parents have been contacted…" She rambled off a series of generic information.

"I sense that's not what's bothering you."

"Brainy, we found one of the girls that we thought was dead." 

"And that upset you."

Nia pulled back that tears that threatened to defend. " She- there was a video. They tortured- she reminded me of...of me. We're both-"

"Oh Nia. "

"I just- I wish you could hug me right now. "

"You know I love you right?" Brainy stress that over the phone. Nia could feel the energy he was projecting over the phone.

"I love you too." She whispered back breathing in the energy she got from his words. She breathed, clearing her mind. 

"Whatever is happening, I have utmost faith in you, Nia." Brainy told her.

Nia looked up as she heard someone setting a tray down, sitting across from her. 

"Hey." A young woman, she recognized as Jennifer greeted her. 

She nodded back.

"Thank you. I just needed to hear your voice." Nia told Brainy.

"Always." He reassured her.

"I gotta-"

" of course…" he agreed as she pettered out the call.

Nia looked over at Jennifer who seemed both exhausted and also like she already knew everything. 

"Nia right?"

"Yeah."

. . . .

It was around 6: 30 when she walked back onto the floor with Tashas' room. She was headed to do one more check before the end of the day. From what she was able to find out, Tashas mom would be there to get her in the morning. She had apparently talked to Iris on the phone. Iris still had some explaining to do on everything she found out, but she had specified to keep Mekhal Dawson away from Tasha. 

. . . .

(Hall outside Tashas room)

Nia noted how weirdly flickery the lights were in the hallway as she got closer to Tashas' room. She could see Anissa walking towards her, clearly headed to check on Tasha too. She had ran into Jennifer earlier on the lunch counter and shared a burger and drink with her which had been nice, like something she might wanna do later again.

"Hey. Where you-?"

"I was visiting Grace earlier and I figured.." Anissa shrugged as they stood in front of the door for a second before opening it.

The room was dark when they opened the door. They could still see two guys in black suits though. It took about half a second to connect the dots as her and Anissa stepped inside the room. One of the guys was holding Tasha in his arms. She seemed to have been drugged or something and was hovering between unconsciousness. They were abducting her.

Nia had been trying to be rational and calm. That all flew out the window. 

"What the hell?!" She could hear herself yelling. She stepped forward reaching out and grabbing a book that sat close at had and throwing it at the man who wasn't holding Tasha. It hit him dead on.

"Damn!" He yelled! 

Nia kept moving, swinging and punch him before he had a second to react. He reached out to grab her by the throat and she kneed him in the crotch.

Anissa was nearby, taking Tasha from the other man and kicking his shins so hard, that Nia thought she heard something break. The man Anissa kicked fell to the floor. They guy Nia was fighting was seeming trying to decide between protecting his privates or fighting as he used one hand to cup himself while reaching into his jacket for a gun. Before he could fire, Anissa fist came out, past Nia, colliding with his face and knocking him out.

Nia looked at the two men subdued on the ground. She whirled on the one who had been holding Tasha, lifted her foot, and stepped on his hand hard. She raised her foot and slammed it down a few more times. The very idea of the horrible things they had and could have done to Tasha and all the other kids was fueling her Anger. She turned and viciously kicked the other guy they had been fighting, in the face. 

Part of Nia was surprised that Anissa wasn't making a move to stop her and her own disgust at what Tasha had been through, wasn't helping Nia allow her calm or rational side to intervene. 

"Nia!" Karas' voice yelled to her from the door.

Nia turned around to see Kara standing there. A tall black man with jeans and a dark blue button up was right behind her.

Nia paused, trying to regain some calm. Anissa had put Tasha back on the bed and Tasha seemed to be coming too. As Nia looked over at her, she saw the panic that Tasha was trying to disguise as she saw the man behind Kara. Nias' brain nearly instantly connected the dots. That was Tashas' dad.

"Nia, this is Mekhal Dawson. He's here to-" Kara started explaining. 

"I'm here to get my son. What have you people done?" Mekhal yelled accusing as he took in the situation unfolding in the room.

It probably wasn't her place, but Nia could feel her anger building up. Tasha was visibly shaking, scared, pulling into herself even as she tried to hide it. Nia had a micro flashback of Yvette terrified on the street outside the club and had to pause to reign herself in.

"This isn't a good time." Anissa blurted out rather bluntly, gesturing to the unconscious men on the ground who had been trying to abduct Tasha.

Kara stepped towards Nia. " Nia…"

"Kara, get him out of here." Nia said. Her voice was low.

Kara turned back to look at Mekhal. 

"We are gonna need you to back up." Anissa told Mekhal

"You can't keep my kid from me."

Tasha was whimpering, she seemed on the verge of tears and not fully concious of what was going on. It was like she was hovering between reality and some nightmare memory as she fought to overcome the effects of whatever the men in black suits had drugged her with.

The sound of heels clacking in the ground quickly walking towards the door hit Nias' ear and a few moments later, Lena was at the door. Behind her was Barry and Iris. Barry seemed to be doing a lot better than last night. Lena had a clipboard in her hand.

Iris looked into the room at Tasha on the bed. "Oh my god."

"Hey." Barry said as he looked at Tasha. He nodded. " Thanks by the way."

Kara seemed to be hit with some kind of recall then. "The kid who pulled Barry out of the portal." 

Tasha for the most part didn't seem to be registering any of this. She was almost boneless as Anissa continued to hover over her. Nia stepped closer to the bed, feeling like the only thing standing between Tasha and...her...abuser. Nia didn't want to entertain that thought but after what Tasha had told her earlier, she really couldn't think of any other way to feel about the man standing there demanding to take Tasha. The fact that he didn't seem at all surprised or worried that two men had just drugged and attempted to abduct Tasha, was ringing alarm bells on Nias' head and not helping his case either.

"Tashas' mom will be here soon to get her in the morning." Lena informed them.

"I'm here already. I can take my son to get help myself."

Iris looked like she was about to punch someone. " You sold your kid for 50,000 dollars cause you didn't love her enough to get over yourself. " Iris sounded almost venomous as she spat out this new and even more horrifying information. 

"Tasha, do you wanna go with him?" Nia asked as she turned to Tasha.

"No." Tasha Mumble. Tasha looked at her father by the door and while she still seemed to be coming to, her devastation and fear of him was plain and obvious.

Tension filled the air as the collection of people seemed to turn their ire at Mekhal. Kara stepped over looking at Nia and nodding. The only question was  what now?

. . . .

Thanks for reading this chapter. 

Leave comments. Kudos and constructive criticism. 

Authors' notes: Join us in the next chapter to answer your questions. Will Tasha be able to forgive Mekhal? What is Shadow Hand organization up too really? Who is gonna run the wellness center now? How is Grace?

Tbc in next chapter: Win some, lose some.

  
  
  
  
  
  


  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
